Mass Effect: 2187
by Time-Phantom
Summary: The Reapers have begun their invasion of the galaxy and it is up to Commander Shepard to fight them back into dark space. But will he be able to save the galaxy with his past decisions catching up with him?
1. The Story so far

**The story so far...**

_The year is 2187 and the Citadel Council is forced to recognize the Reaper threat after a batarian attack on Arcturus station, with a Reaper at the helm of the invasion. This Reaper, using it's knowledge of the relay nexus, opened a portal to dark space and unleashed dozens of Reapers on an unsuspecting galaxy. It's only a matter of time before the Reapers reach their ultimate goal... the Citadel._

Commander Shepard was many things to many people. To some he was the Earth born war hero of Elysium, to others the first human Spectre and to many, he was the savior of the Citadel. He never cared much for those titles and right now he felt anything but heroic. The council had sent him to a turian planet on the edges of Citadel space which had gone silent. Upon arrival, he found the patrol that was stationed over the planet in ruins and EDI's scan of the planet showed the planet had been fired on from orbit. No life signs were detected.

Hoping there would be at least a few survivors, Shepard took the shuttle down any way. EDI was right, unfortunately, and much to Shepard's growing anger at not being able to do any thing for those colonists, EDI felt the need to share the fact that according to her scans, had they arrived there two hours earlier they could have saved those colonists.

He just finished reporting the mission to the council and they were less than pleased. This was the fifth colony to be completely destroyed or it's inhabitants missing altogether this month. The Council was telling the media that a hostile alien species was the cause for these attacks, which wasn't really a lie but the fact that all they really did was increase patrols in their own systems while colonies on the edges of council space were the ones being hit. Obviously dealing with this Reaper threat wasn't very high on their list of their priorities.

What upset him the most wasn't the council, it was the not getting there two hours earlier that got under his skin. He couldn't get to them fast enough just like he couldn't get to half his crew and had to watch some of them get melted down.

"You all right Shepard?" Tali asked from behind Shepard who was standing in front of the elevator, distracted by his thoughts.

"What...uh... oh it's you Tali." he stammered. "Yeah I'm good." he answered, giving the quarian a fake, halfhearted smile and rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"You're still bothered about the colony, aren't you?"

"Two hours earlier and I could have been able to do some thing." he sighed. "It's like the mess at the collector base."

"No. What happened there wasn't you fault." Tali stated.

"I could have gotten there sooner. I could have had some one other than Grunt lead the fire team. I shouldn't have let Mordin hold the line. I could have done something to make sure Thane came out alive to see his son again!" Shepard yelled, rubbing his forehead in aggravation. "Sorry Tali... I..."

"The collector base still bothers you doesn't it?" Her voice was laced with concern.

"It doesn't bother you?" he whispered, more to to himself than to her, looking away and entering the elevator.

The elevator seemed to take forever to reach his quarters, he glanced at the mirror-like wall of the elevator, seeing himself reflected back. His fist shot out and slammed the unyielding metal. He hated the scars the Lazarus project put on him and he couldn't stand the dim red glow in his eyes. Although the scars had faded, the glow in his eyes constantly reminded him of Cerberus, the Illusive man and his choices at the collector base. He laughed bitterly, realizing that the scars and eyes also reminded him of Miranda and the good work she's been doing as leader of Cerberus. After the suicide mission Miranda was assigned to the collector base to uncover it's secretes. She helped Shepard later destroy the base after what was left of the human reaper larva indoctrinated and killed most of the Cerberus teams.

She was now the leader of Cerberus and has allowed the help of Alliance scientists to analyze the technology found on the collector base. The Council and the Alliance do not trust her, this isn't helped by the fact that Miranda refuses to give exact numbers of Cerberus operations or release all Cerberus intell on the Collector base. All three are willing to get along as long as Miranda keeps playing nice.

Walking out of the elevator his eyes immediately went to the picture of Ashley Williams on his desk. Ashley had always helped Shepard when he needed it. Horizon was rough, but she evidently came around as she busted him out of a trial and helped him fight the reapers once again.

Shepard's computer chimed, it was a video chat with Ashley making the call.

"Speak of the devil." he thought to himself, opening the comm and sat down at his desk.

"Hey skipper." Ashley greeted.

Shepard smiled. "How's shore leave Ash."

"Can't complain. Went to Lynn's graduation ceremony, she really hates those graduation gowns." She laughed, "So hows that top secret Spectre mission the council has you on?"

Shepard sighed heavily and scratched his head. She raised an eyebrow, "That bad?"

"No survivors Ash."

"Damn it!" Ashley grunted.

"They're getting closer and closer to council space every month." Shepard sighed. "Soon they'll be in Citadel space and next... the Citadel itself."

"Is any of that stuff you got from the collector base working?" Ashley asked.

"We can't integrate collector tech fast enough and most of it is just out of our reach with out the rest of the base." Shepard explained. "Sometimes I wish I didn't keep the damn thing at all Ash."

"People died there, but with out it we wouldn't have known the Reapers were going to use the relay nexus at Arcturus." Ashley said, trying to ease Shepard's mind.

"I know." Shepard exhaled.

"Shepard you have a message waiting in the comm room." EDI interrupted.

"Who's it from?" Shepard ask, annoyed by the A.I.'s interruption.

"The council is waiting for you in the comm room."

Shepard turned back to Ashley. "Looks like duty calls." He sighed. "I'll call you back."

"See ya later skipper." Ashley said, cutting connection.

The Citadel council was, at this point in time, not his favorite group of people. They put him on trial for treason, they had a Spectre hunt him and now he, once again, was their last best hope for a safe galaxy. After the battle at Arcturus, Shepard's Spectre status was given back to him for the third time and for the last year they had him and the Normandy fighting Reapers.

The failure of his recent missions and the fact the Reaper got away only served to strain their relationship even more so. Shepard walked to the comm room and in there waiting for were the holograms of a very annoyed council.

"I'm so glad you could make it Shepard." The turian councilor growled.

"I missed you to." Shepard said sarcastically. "What's going on?" he asked curiously.

"How soon can you make it to the Citadel?" The salarian councilor asked.

"A day...why?" Shepard asked, now curious about the councils reason for this call. "What is this about?"

"We're calling all available Spectre agents in council space to the Citadel." The asari councilor answered. "That is all we can say on an insecure channel."

Shepard was caught off guard about the council's reason for the call. He had only met five Spectres in his time as an agent; Nihlis died on Edin Prime, he killed both Saren and Tela Vasir, and was hunted by two others. "I'll be there as soon as I can but..."

"Thank you Shepard that will be all." The turian councilor cut in, before closing the comm.

Shepard sighed in frustration and turned to EDI's terminal. "EDI, tell Joker to set course for the Citadel."

Releasing the button, he muttered half to himself, "It looks like this is the start of a very long headache."

**End.**

**AN/ The end of the first chapter of Mass Effect: 2187. This story will be my best guess for ME3 and it is also the sequel to my first story "A Hero the Galaxy Needs" I can promise this will be one of the the most epic and more importantly different Mass Effect 3 stories out there .**

**I would also like to give a shout out to my awesome beta Blze001 !**


	2. Intruments of their will

**Chapter 2: Instruments of their will.**

Life on the Citadel has grown more chaotic since the attacks started. People were protesting the councils inaction and often belittling way of handling of the Reaper problem. C-sec was nearly over come with complaints of violence on the wards and protests turning violent was a growing problem. Anti human sentiment has grown with the successful assassination of the turian politician Joram Talid and the death of executor Venari Pallin. Non humans on the station believe this to be a calculated elimination of humanities critics on the station.

Shepard smiled thinking about the council being forced to take action against "the immortal race of sentient machines from dark space" they previously refused to believe in. Now they have no choice but to investigate the Reapers. They have every mass relay leading into the Terminus systems blocked, they're dealing with anti-council protesting on the Citadel and they are trying to keep things running smoothly in a panicking galaxy.

The elevator stopped at the council chamber, the chamber was for the most part quieter and had an unsettling feeling to it. The place was a lot emptier as well, with the only people walking around seemed to be twenty or more people all dressed in very expensive looking body armor and all of them had a bit of an intimidating feeling to them.

"Yes Shepard they are all Spectres and you should be in awe." A voice sarcastically whispered behind him.

Shepard turned around and immediately recognized the person who made the remark. This was the asari Spectre who hunted him a little more than a year ago and also helped him repel the attack on Arcturus station. Her name was Raina Howlit. "Long time no see Shepard." she said, playfully punching Shepard in the arm.

"Where have you been in the last year?" Shepard asked curiously, knowing Raina's reputation for being sent on missions the council would rather not have any hand in.

"Garvug if you must know." She yawned, stretching her arms out. "The bosses wanted me to make sure the corporations wagging war on that cold miserable little rock are behaving themselves."

Shepard and Raina walked ahead to the front of the council chamber. "Do you know what this is about?" Raina asked.

"Not even a little." Shepard replied.

Shepard and Raina continued walked up the stairs to the council who weren't at their usual spot above whom ever is having an audience with them at the time. "So this is the famous Commander Skcih Shepard, champion of humanity and savior of the Citadel!" Someone loudly proclaimed behind him.

Shepard turned around and to see who was doing all the talking, it was a rough looking turian who had a long jagged scar across his face and had a mandible missing from the left side of his face. "Excuse me Commander I am Velentrian Tenais." The turian greeted mockingly. "I just never thought I'd see a liar,cheat and most of all a traitor walking around freely with the title Spectre."

Shepard made his way over to the turian, standing face to face with him. "Do you have some thing to say to me turian?" Shepard grunted, looking the turian in the starring him down, neither of them breaking contact with each others eyes.

"Not only are you a joke of a Spectre, you betrayed this council by working with it's enemies." Velentrian growled. "You also murdered a member of this organization!"

"You remember Tela Vasir don't you?" he questioned.

Shepard scoffed. "She blew up a building and killed civilians!"

"That is no different than you keeping your ties to Cerberus!" he retorted.

"The council might think your on their side for now and yes I know full well of the councils dealings with Cerberus!" he shouted. "But you are nothing but a repeat of Saren and the geth!"

"I am nothing like him!" Shepard yelled.

"No you're worse!" He shot back. "And unlike some of us." he paused and turned away to give a spiteful glare at Raina. "When you do go rouge and the council comes to their senses I'll be the one to kill you!"

Shepard clenched his fists and his biotics lit up the room, catching the eye of the other Spectre's in the room. "Since you apparently know so much about me then you should know what's gonna happen next." Shepard snarled, drawing his shot gun on the turian.

The turian now had his pistol drawn." So you want to die sooner rather than later."

Velentrian chuckled. "That is perfectly fine with me."

"That's enough both of you!" A voice exploded from the front of the council chamber. Both Spectre's turned around to see the council had finally arrived. When Shepard looked at the council he immediately noticed one member of the council was missing. "Where is councilor Anderson?" Shepard asked.

The asari councilor stepped forward. "Councilor Anderson has resigned and has been replaced with..."

Before the councilor could finish speaking human ambassador Donald Udina joined the rest of the council. "Sorry I'm late I had some things to take care of." he said.

"You've got to be kidding." Shepard thought to himself. Out of all the humans in the galaxy the council had picked in Shepard's opinion the worst possible replacement for Anderson.

"We've called this meeting today to discuss the situation on the edges of Council territory." The turian councilor said. "For the past year entire colonies have either been destroyed or colonists have gone missing altogether."

The salarian council member pressed a button on his console and an image of a Reaper projected out to the Spectre's. "We all are familiar with this model of ship." Udina stated. "This... thing is what some of us call a Reaper."

"We've had some success in fighting these ships with the technology Cerberus has been able to provide." The turian councilor explained. "But we're still losing ground and these ships could very well attack the Citadel at any moment."

"We need to stop them before they get to the Citadel!" A voice shouted from somewhere in the crowd.

"Why call this many Spectre's to the Citadel?" Raina asked.

"Most of the Citadel fleet is out patrolling the Traverse and border regions to the Terminus systems" Udina began to answer. "We are in a very vulnerable position and having a large number of Spectre's active on the Citadel at the same time... "

" Helps the four of you sleep better at night." Raina interrupted. "I've seen these things in action, it's going to take a lot more than a couple dozen of us to fight the Reapers."

The crowd began to become more unruly. Shepard couldn't think of what to do but didn't have the slightest idea of what to say. Shepard started thinking about the last two years, time with Cerberus and then a thought came to him. "I think I have an idea" he said aloud.

"Now how can the savior of the galaxy save us this time?" Velantrian wondered sarcastically.

Shepard ignored the turian. "When I used the Omega four relay I used a Reaper IFF."

"I fail to see your point Shepard." Udina snapped.

"From the Omega four relay me and my team hit the collectors." Shepard explained "The Citadel is a giant mass relay is it not?"

"Even if what your suggesting was possible wouldn't that mean opening a portal to dark space and allowing possibly even more Reapers into the galaxy?" The turian councilor asked.

"Then how long do we wait?" Shepard questioned "A week, another month or a year until the Reapers get to the Citadel and open the Citadel mass relay anyway?"

"Our forces are stretched far to thing to even attempt an invasion." The salarian councilor said back.

"Not what I'm asking at all." Shepard said, raising his voice slightly in aggravation. "We need to focus on making sure that the Reapers can't use the Citadel to bring the rest of their fleet in." Shepard turned around to face the Spectre's behind him. "The council has every mass relay in Citadel space blockaded and the Alliance and every other council race are busy protecting their colonies from being destroyed."

"Are numbers are stretched far to thin to really defend the Citadel and if the Reapers attacked right now all of us might as well be dead!"

"Well since you seem to have all the answers Shepard what do you suggest we do about it?" Udina asked in a condescending tone.

Shepard turned back to the councilors. "I'm thinking we'll need to get help. Most likely from the quarians and the geth." Shepard answered sounding unconvinced that would even work. "Hell maybe even from the krogen and the rachni." he exhaled.

"I'm going to forget you even brought up the geth you allowed to be rewritten to make them stronger." Udina mumbled. "The quarians haven't been heard from in months!"

"Allowing krogen aid would be a mistake and our investigations have turned up nothing in the whereabouts of the rachni." The salarian councilor added.

The crowd of Spectre's stirred into whispers and some even looked surprised by the mention of rachni in the first place. "Shepard... is right." The turian councilor hesitantly agreed. "We can't wait for them to attack us."

"Shepard you're mission is to gather possible allies in repelling and possibly eliminating this Reaper threat." The asari councilor decreed. "Any Spectre agents not currently on a mission elsewhere or with any pressing matters outside of the Citadel are to remain here on the station."

"This is insane!" Velentrian yelled. "Shepard alone cannot be aloud to have this much freedom when this much is at stake!"

"Shepard is a Spectre of this council." the salarian councilor dismissed. "He has shown time and again..."

"That his decisions risk the safety of this galaxy!" He interrupted again, pointing an accusing finger at Shepard. "I and every "real" Spectre in this room swore an oath to protect the galaxy!"

"What the hell is your problem?" Shepard questioned, glaring at the turian Spectre infront of him.

"Everyone expects you and humanity to save us once again!" The turian growled. "But who is going to save us from you?"

"Shepard has proved him self as an agent of the council." the asari councilor said, defending Shepard.

"Shepard cannot be trusted and you all will see this for your selves!" The spectre yelled, pushing past several other agents. "Watch your back Shepard I'll be watching you!" He yelled one last time before he stormed out of the council chamber.

The asari councilor took a deep breath and then exhaled heavily. "This meeting of the council is adjourned."

**End.**


	3. The start of something

**Chapter three: The start of something.**

**AN/ Now freshly beta'd and resubmitted. Thanks goes to ****Rhiannon for giving the next two chapters a good looking over. **

Shepard was in the port observation enjoying a drink alone after his meeting with the council. He had given the crew that the Alliance had supplied, leave for the night and was on the ship by himself. Doctor Chakwas was off probably getting medical supplies and Joker was in the cockpit most likely arguing with E.D.I about him leaving his toe nail clippings on the dash board.

The Alliance crew was very helpful and didn't seem to mind the non Alliance issue luxuries on the ship and for the most part got along (if not uneasily) with the Cerberus crew on board. At first there were some small altercations but eventually every one was content enough to mind their own and work together cooperatively.

Shepard turned around as he heard the doors opening. It was Garrus Vakarian who had stayed with Shepard after the battle at Arcturus. "Shepard have you got a minute?" He asked with a hint of concern in his voice.

"If I tell you I'm calibrating something will you leave?" Shepard asked, turning back around.

"I'm afraid it can't wait." Garrus said, pulling up a chair at the bar next to Shepard. "Tali's worried about you." Garrus said. "Hell I'm even starting to worry!"

"What about?" Shepard groaned, downing a drink.

"The last couple of missions we've been on you've been a little... unfocused."

"I've got things under control." Shepard dismissed. "Nothing to worry about." He lied. For the past few months he felt anything but in control and judging by the look on Garrus's face he picked up on the deceit.

"You're an awful liar." He stated.

Shepard gave a weak laugh and shrugged his shoulders. "Damn looks like you caught me!"

The commanders face turned more serious. "It's the Reapers." He sighed. "They're pushing deeper into Council space and they've destroyed every colony along the way."

"And we can't do any thing to stop them."

Garrus had a feeling there was more than just what Shepard was telling him. "Do you think we can win?"

"Sure we could." Shepard mumbled, staring into the empty glass in front of him. "The collector base was supposed to ensure that we could beat the Reapers, but I don't think that will be enough any more."

"I never thought I'd see you giving up Shepard." Garrus said quietly, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Giving up isn't in me. I'll fight until either we win or they kill me." Shepard said, trying to reassure Garrus that he wasn't quitting on the galaxy. "It's just... " he exhaled heavily, anger showing on his face. "Every thing I do only seems to slow them down!" He growled, slamming his fist onto the bar table.

"I stop Sovereign, I only stop them from using the Citadel rely, the Collectors blow up the Normandy, I kill the Collectors, the Reapers used the rely nexus at Arcturus to just get a few of them in the galaxy anyway!"

"They're always one step ahead Garrus!" Shepard said bitterness lacing each word.

"Shepard you're not fighting them alone. The Reapers are a threat to every one." Garrus said trying to put Shepard's mind at ease, putting a hand on his commander's shoulder.

"I guess even the savior of the Citadel doubts himself a little." Shepard whispered to him self, walking to the window looking out into the void of space.

The turian got up and headed towards the door. "If there's anything I can..."

"No Garrus I'll be fine." Shepard interrupted, staring out into space. "Just take your leave, you might not get another one."

Garrus nodded and left the Commander to his thoughts. Garrus had stayed with Shepard after the mission to the collector base and even helped him escape from the councils trial. Of every one on the Normandy Garrus was the only one besides Ashley he felt he could talk to about his worries with the Reaper threat. He'd helped Garrus deal with Sidonis and right now Shepard was wondering how to get his own version of revenge.

He'd already destroyed the Collectors, in the past year and a half he's helped kill a few Reapers and from what Miranda and Ashley told him the Illusive Man was dead. Shepard wondered if he would get a chance to find his own Sidonis or if like Zaheed - whom he had left on Zorya - was being consumed by an unobtainable revenge that would play a part in killing him.

"_Um... Commander!" _Joker squawked over the intercom. "_Jack's on deck three and she's not happy about... "_

"Hold on a second!" Shepard interrupted. "Did you just say Jack was here?" He questioned in disbelief at the statement.

The elevator doors to the third deck opened to a cacophony of noise that was coming from the lower part of the deck. Shepard hurried through the doors and down the stairs. On the way down the stairs Shepard nearly got hit by a crate that whizzed passed his head. Shepard watched for a moment as a smaller tattooed woman said a number of expletives and tossed another set of crates with her biotics.

Noticing Shepard, she turned around. "What the fuck is all this shit!" Jack yelled, pointing at the pile of crates she created.

"Extra storage I decided to put in here because no one was using it." Shepard replied with a wide grin on his face. "It's nice to see you Jack but what are you doing here?"

Jack sat down on the cot she sleeps on. "Ran with this merc group for a while." She said, leaning back against the wall. "They had a real hard on for Cerberus so I joined up and we hit some basses."

"Okay that's still not answering the question."

Jack rolled her eyes. "They got boring so I came looking for you."

"So you just left?"

"Yep." The ex-convict answered simply and to the point.

"Any way I heard you'd be on the Citadel and I thought I might as well join up with the only person to treat me like a person instead of their personal attack dog. " She explained. "So here I am, lets go right now, no strings attached and lets save the galaxy... again!"

Shepard couldn't shake the shocked expression on his face. "I'm not complaining but why help me when you wouldn't even talk to me after the suicide mission?" He questioned.

"Well when you play mind games with some one who's had them done to her all her life ." She explained . "They feel a certain way about it!"

Shepard glared at the biotic. "I was only trying to be your friend Jack. You made it more than it was."

"Ya should have told me you were spoken for." She said, ignoring Shepard.

Shepard gave a confused look to Jack and from the looks of it she picked up on it."That chick who busted your ass out of that trial must have some serious shit." She said looking away from Shepard, sounding more serious than he'd had ever heard her.

"But yeah, send someone to move those boxes, because I'm not carrying shit!" She said, the expression on her face changing completely.

"_Commander, Miranda wants to see you in the comm room." _Joker announced over the intercom.

"Still dealing for the Illusive Man and his cheer leader?" Jack sneered.

"The Illusive Man isn't doing much of anything these days." Shepard replied, walking away from the biotic.

Jacked laughed. "You kill him?" she asked.

Shepard turned around. "Actually Miranda did."

Jack only nodded and when Shepard got up the stairs he heard the faint laughter coming from Jack getting louder.

Shepard walked into the middle of the of the com room, an orange grid ascending from the floor. The room went dark and the only thing visible was Miranda sitting in a chair and a red star glowing in the back ground. "Commander Shepard." She said.

Shepard crossed his arms and smiled. "Illusive Woman?" He jeered.

Miranda returned the smile. "Don't ever call me that again."

Shepard shrugged. "Sorry couldn't be helped ... so what do you need?"

"After you get off the Citadel I want you to go to the Feros colony." Miranda ordered. "Shepard ... we lost contact and I haven't gotten a report from my contact there in weeks!"

"Doesn't sound too good." Shepard thought to himself. "Do you know any thing else?" he asked, interested in finding out more.

"No and that's the problem!" She got up from her seat and walked towards Shepard.

"I wouldn't ask you to look into this if it wasn't important, but... "

"Say no more Miranda, I'll look into it." Shepard interrupted. "Anything I should know before going down?"

Miranda turned around and paced around the room. "I sent a team of Cerberus commando's, I got a code Omega from them."

"Meaning what?" Shepard asked. Thinking it suspicious that Miranda sent Commando's to a colony.

"That means they encountered a hostel species and that they were in a position in which they couldn't set up proper communications!"Miranda snapped. Shepard wasn't sure whether or not she meant to put so much venom in her words but ignored it.

"So that rules out the Reapers destroying the colony." Shepard said to himself.

"Oh and one more thing." Miranda said sitting back down in her chair . "Make sure Jack behaves herself." She spat before cutting communication.


	4. Feros

**Chapter 4: Feros**

Shepard had saved the struggling colony four years ago. The colonists under the control of a giant sentient plant called the Thorian attacked Shepard, but he'd managed to save the colony and destroy the Thorian without many casualties. More recently he helped the colony when he stopped some intrusive tests being done by a Baria Frontiers on Illium.

Shepard was in the cockpit, Joker had been trying to get a signal from the colony for the passed three minuets. "I'm not getting anything commander."

"Try it again."

Joker opened his mouth in protest, but stopped himself when he mad eye contact with Shepard. His face was knotted up with anger. "I'll... I'll try it again."

Shepard growled. "Just dock the ship."

The Normandy was docked at Zhu's Hope. Shepard took Tali and Garrus with him to the colony. The dock was eerily quiet. It looked the same as it did when Shepard arrived at the colony the first time. There was a faint smell of smoke and the air around them was warm.

"_Shepard I'm not picking up any signals from the colony." _E.D.I said over the radio.

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Tali said, her voice shaking and griping her shot gun tightly.

Shepard was about to say something to ease the quarian's nerves when he heard a shuffling coming from up the stairs leading to the colony. Shepard aimed his Vindicator battle rifle at the top of the stairs, ready to fire.

"Shepard don't shoot!" A voice pleaded from around the corner.

"Come around slowly!" Shepard ordered.

A set of small green hands came around the corner first then the rest of a slender woman came around, her hands raised. It was Shiala, the asari commando he saved from the Thorian and helped on Illium.

"Shiala?" Shepard asked, curious as too the asari's current state. "Whats going on? Where are the rest of the colonists?"

"That's not important!" Shiala snapped. "I need to take you to the colony we need your help!"

"All right." Shepard answered calmly. His rifle no longer pointed at the asari. "Can you tell me whats going on?"

Shiala darted a glare at the commander. "There's no time let's go!" She shouted turning around, walking frantically up the stairs.

"Shepard something isn't right." Garrus noted.

"I know." Shepard said, signaling his team to follow him up the stairs. They continued up the series of stairs that lead to Zhu's Hope. Shiala who ran ahead and was nowhere to be found. The way she was acting caught his attention. She was hiding something.

When Shepard reached the top of the stairs he almost couldn't believe what he was seeing. Zhu's Hope was in flames. Bodies littered the ground, the corpses still burning were they fell.

"E.D.I give me some thing!" Shepard yelled desperately. "Tell me something!"

_Shepard I'm getting geth signals coming from the main colony! _E.D.I warned as the team stepped foot farther into the main colony.

"Geth what do you mean..."

"Geth!" Tali Shouted, pushing Shepard and her self into cover. A drop ship flew over head, firing at the team and dropping geth across from their position. Garrus was in cover behind a set of crates across from a fallen pillar Tali and Shepard were behind. Geth fired at the group, Garrus returned fire with his mantis sniper rifle, while Tali checked on Shepard.

"Are you alright?" Tali asked, shooting back at the synthetics.

"Tali I'm fine!" Shepard said shouting over gun fire. "You and Garrus watch my back!" Before Tali could protest Shepard had a biotic field enveloping him and before she could blink Shepard had bioticaly charged across the field.

Shepard across the field, assault rifle firmly in hand and a geth flying into a brick wall, turned to the three other geth. Two quick bursts of his rifle went right through the machine, the other two dropping his shields. Before Shepard could do it him self, the other two geth were being tossed bioticaly into the air. Not questioning it Shepard took the opportunity and fired at the last two synthetics.

Popping a heat sink, Shepard looked up and saw a beat up but not green asari leaning against the wall. Shepard ran to the asari, putting up his rifle. As he got closer he saw that this asari, much to his shock was Shiala.

"Shepard?" She coughed, struggling to breath. "What are you doing here?

"I could ask the same thing and why aren't you green?" Shepard asked, applying medi-gel to the commando.

"That would have been the Thorian you ran into." Shiala rasped, struggling to breath.

"Impossible I saw that thing die." Shepard dismissed.

"Before you killed it, it created another clone that escaped and started to control the colonists once you and the many Alliance personnel that came soon afterward theft. " She explained. "It's control over us got even stronger once the genetic screening by Baria frontiers stopped."

Shepard couldn't believe it. He thought he killed the Thorian but it only lived on to torture the colony for another four years. "Ok but whats with the geth?" Shepard questioned, the shock in is voice being apparent.

"The Thorian wants to get off this world and it believes the geth are the only way to do it." Shiala continued to explain, limping to the control panel, Shepard following behind. "They killed everyone Shepard... you..."

"Why would the geth work with the Thorian?" Tali asked, suspicious of the asari.

"And how are you not under the Thorian's control?" Garrus questioned, catching up with Shepard and Tali who ran ahead.

"When your ship landed you distracted it and I managed to break free." She answered. Shiala activated the control panel and opened the entrance to the tunnels. "Even now I'm struggling to keep control of my mind."

Garrus looked over at the asari suspiciously. "That's convenient."

"What about the rest of the colonists?" Shepard questioned, thinking it strange that he hadn't seen any other colonists.

"All dead... all of them. The geth murdered them all." She answered quickly, looking as if something was causing her some kind of discomfort. "That creature should be down... ugh... don't go..." Suddenly Shiala was looked as if she was in great pain, her biotics tossed ever thing around in her panic.

Shepard quickly pinned the asari commando to a nearby crate, his arm pressed against her throat and his pistol pointed at her head. "Shiala calm down!" Sheaprd barked.

"Shepard you have to stop that thing!" Shiala pleaded, looking to reclaim her senses.

"I intend to." Shepard assured, letting go of the commando and holstering his pistol. "Tell me what I'm going to find when I'm down there." Shepard ordered.

Shiala took a deep sigh. "More geth and... "

"Please don't say creepers." Tali groaned.

"Unfortunately the Thorian turned a few of the colonists into those monsters." Shiala explained.

"Keelah!"

"Wonderful!" Shepard said. Shepard armed himself with his shotgun and walked towards the tunnel entrance with his team

"Shepard let me come with you!" Shiala pleaded. "I can help you."

"How do I know you won't lose your mind again?" Shepard questioned, not trusting the asari. "Your useless to me if you can't control your self."

"The Thorian will be preparing to fight you." She explained. "And is a little payback to much to ask?

Shepard thought about it for awhile, he could use the extra help and if Shiala was volunteering then why refuse? But the Thorian could retake control of her at any moment. "It's too much of a risk."

Shiala took a deep breath. "That is your decision and I except it."

"Just be careful Shepard."

* * *

**Horse Head Nebula: Minuteman Station**

Miranda was finishing a report on new shielding designs she was got from the collector base, that she was going to give to the council. She hated working with the citadel, but she did because Cerberus couldn't fight the Reapers alone and partly because she made a promise to a certain Alliance soldier she would and mostly because Shepard would have wanted her to use the resources from the collector base for the "greater good". She thought about Shepard a lot lately. Spending two years of her life rebuilding him, Shepard taking the time out to help her with her sister and saving her from the reaper on the collector base. She'd much rather be on the SR2 with him, but Cerberus and the Council took all her time these days.

After she killed the Illusive man, she took control of all of the organizations operations. Which was much harder than she expected. She had to use a holo of the Illusive man for those agents that knew him by sight, most agents weren't taking kindly to the new direction and Miranda had to crack down hard on rouge operations before things got worse. She found leading the organization and deciding how to distribute collector tech to be very over whelming. She'd thought about asking Liara to take up some of the slack, but she wouldn't allow the thought to get any farther.

Miranda's monitor flashed in the corner of her eye, it was an alert she was getting from her secretary outside her office. "What is it?" She grunted, pushing the button to answer the call.

"_Ma'am a three damaged Cerberus frigates docked about an hour ago."  
_

"Why wasn't I alerted when they entered the system." She asked, not masking the annoyance in her voice.

"_It didn't seem like a big deal." _Her secretary replied. Before an enraged Miranda could berate the Cerberus operative a series explosions rocked the station. The shock wave knocked Miranda out of her seat, her head slamming against the floor.

The stations alarms blared. Miranda picked herself up and tried to get in contact with any of the stations personnel. She got nothing but gun fire and explosions in the back ground. She walked over to a locker across the room. As she slipped on some armor, Miranda was prepared for an attack like this and she wont run to Shepard for help. This is something she'd do herself.

End.


	5. Fight in the Tunnels

**Chapter 5: Fight in the Tunnels**

"Scoped and dropped!" Garrus belted, taking down the geth at the top of the stairway. Shepard and the team had been fighting through the tunnels under the colony. Enduring wave after wave of close quarter combat against geth and Thorian creepers, Shepard, Tali and Garrus advanced slowly through the tunnels.

Shepard raised his shotgun. "You missed one." Shepard fired, slimy green ooze from a creeper cut in half by the blast splashed onto the turian.

Tali exhaled. "Keelah I hate those things."

"The last time we fought them I couldn't get the smell out. Even with the suites air filtration units disabled."

The team continued fighting up the stairs, fighting through synthetics and creeper alike. Shepard sent a biotic shock wave down the hallway, clearing out a group of charging creepers. Garrus armed with his vindicator battle rifle fired several bursts at a team of geth, while Tali drained their sheilds giving Garrus free shot at the synthetics. They pushed through, getting closer to the end of the tunnels.

The tunnels shook violently, sending debris falling from the ceiling. The shaking caused the team to stumble. "What the hell was that?"

Joker shouted over the radio_. " Shepard... geth... are...!" _The message was broken up by static, but Joker was clearly panicked.

"Joker! Jeff whats going on up there?" Shepard didn't get a response. "We have to keep moving."

Shepard and his team continued. Shepard didn't run into any geth or thorian creepers on the way to the end of the tunnel. An asari stood at the far end of the last stretch of the tunnel. She stood there looking somberly over the pit where the Thorian fell all those years ago. The asari wore standard light armor that asari commandos wore to battle. Her green skin seemed to blend in with the dim lighting of the tunnel.

She turned her head, finally noticing the group she had been waiting for. "Shepard."

"Expecting any one else?"

A grin formed in the corner of her mouth. "I've been meaning to thank you, but I didn't think Illium was the place for it." She walked closer to the group. The team raised their weapons at the thorian possessed clone.

"Before I kill you..."

She interupted. "Want to know about the cold ones or geth as you call them?

Shepard nodded. "The cold ones invaded several weeks ago. They quickly discovered my existence and a deal was struck with their masters."

"The Reapers?" Shepard said aloud.

"Maybe. They offered me this planet to have as my own while the rest of the galaxy suffers its cleansing by fire and..."

Done listening to the rant Shepard opened fire on the possessed asari, his team following the lead. Each shot was absorbed by the asari's biotic barrier. Outstretching her arm, she unleashed a wave of biotic power that sent Shepard and his squad flying into the wall. "Foolish creatures. I will not be defeated again!"

Shepard got back to his feet and bioticaly charged the thorian controlled asari. The asari stumbled back as Shepard fired at shot point blank with his shot gun. Her barrier absorbed this as well and she sent Shepard flying back with another biotic throw. Garrus and Tali fired at the asari, only for them to be absorbed by her sheild as well. "Damn it her barrier is to strong!" Garrus yelled.

She turned her attention to the turian. With a flick of her wrist she pulled Garrus towards her and slammed him into the wall next to her. She walked closer to Tali, each shot the quarian fired only bounced off the barrier. "Foolish off worlder." She out stretched her arm and sent a wave of biotic energy towards the quarian.

"Ugh!" Tali doubled over in pain. She had been hit by a warp field. The quarian raised her head to meet the eyes of the asari above her. She unsheathed the knife she carried on the side of her boot and thrust it at the asari. The blade made it through the armor and from the pained look that flashed on the asari's face the blade made contact. Another wave of biotic energy sent Tali flying into the wall behind her.

The asari stood over her seemingly beaten opponent, dark blue energy enveloping her hands. Tali raised her arm, flashing her omni tool. "Hmm... you believe that will save you?" She looked down at the quarian. "You have lost."

"You should really look up." Humoring her beaten victom the thorian did just that. A green disc floated in the air. "What is this?" With out warning the disc exploded and a blinding green flash of light.

A blue flash charged across the the tunnel. The asari slammed against the wall, creating a very audible thud against the stone wall. She slowly raised her head, making eye contact with Shepard's hand cannon. "What did you..."

"Damping grenade." Tali answered, picking herself up. "You aren't so tough without that barrier."

Shepard held his pistol steadily, not moving in the slightest. "You think you've won this day do you?"

"Your colonies will burn!" She taunted. "They cannot be stopped!"

"Maybe." Shepard said, without any trace of emotion in his voice. "But I'll stop you right now." Two shots then rang throughout the tunnels.

The team left the tunnels without saying a word, taking the trek back to the main colony in silence.

**Back on the Normandy:**

The team that consisted of Tali, Jack and Garrus met in the briefing room. The Feros colony had been completely destroyed and Alliance ships would be conducting search and rescue missions on the colony. But as far as Shepard could tell the colony was lost. The geth had bombarded the colony from orbit and fled the system shortly after.

"_Shepard the Alliance is sending a carrier to the colony, I think we're done here."_

"So Shepard, does rewriting the geth sound as good now as it did back when you did it?" Jack commented.

"I'll have to agree with Jack on this one Shepard." Tali added. "The geth wouldn't have been in a position to attack a human colony if you didn't..."

"We don't know that." Garrus cut in. "We have know idea whether or not those were heretic geth or any of Legions."

"So you suggest we fly into the veil and ask who's, who?" Jack snapped.

"That might not be a bad idea." Shepard sighed.

"You aren't serious?" Tali questioned, her voice full of shock.

"We don't know what's going on out there and Legion's geth could be of some use." Garrus reasoned.

Jacked scoffed. "So they blow up a colony and you wanna knock on the front door and ask for help? They say I'm the crazy one!"

"I'm not deciding any thing yet!" Shepard cut in. "Crew dismissed."

Jack, Tali and Garrus made their way out of the briefing room. E.D.I's avatar popped up on the railing. "_The council is trying to call you. Do you want to respond?"_

"Put them through."

"_Is this report correct Shepard!"_ Udina bellowed as soon as the connection was made. "_The entire colony is destroyed!"_

"If you don't believe me you can go there yourself." Shepard snapped.

"_I'm more interested in the geth presence on Feros."_ The salarian councilor chimed in. "_Why have they attacked if as you claim is correct and you rewrote them?"_

"_It sounds like you got played Shepard." _The turian councilor added. "_And your decisions are catching up with you."_

Shepard darted a glare at the councilor. "I had no idea about the geth, but I intend to look into it."

"The council does not wish to know the exact details of you mission Shepard. Just that you get results." The asari councillor contributed.

It was always this way. Shepard would try his very best, but for the council it was often not good enough. Now that the geth destroyed a colony in the traverse and Shepard's recent failures in stopping Reaper attacks on colonies elsewhere are only serving to fuel the councils complaints.

"_I'm actually a little surprised at you Shepard." _The turian said in a chastising tone of voice. "_I would have thought you would have been more motivated to save a human colony."_

Shepard shook his head. "I don't need this."

The holographic images of the council dissipated. "_Woops!" _Joker yelped over the inter com.

"_I guess when they rebuilt the ship they didn't fix that `cut out' problem commander."_

"_Jeff cut communication commander." _E.D.I corrected. "_There is no `cut out` problem."_

Shepard laughed. "Oh you'll get it one day E.D.I "

**End. **


	6. The Team I

**Chapter 6: The Team I**

Tali entered the com room. Shepard had the Normandy dock at Omega and left with out saying what he was doing. Garrus was in the mess hall and Jack as far as anyone else knew was in her pit in engineering. This was the best opportunity for Tali to make a call to an old friend.

"_This is the Shadow Broker."_

"Liara cut it out."

"_I apologize Tali. It's turned into a bit of a habit"_

"Don't mention it. Have you heard from the Migrant Fleet?" The quarian asked. Tali was exiled from her people, when Shepard withheld the evidence of her fathers involvement on the Alarei. She was greatful for Shepard not spoiling her fathers name, but when Shepard kept the collector base she felt that she to had to look out for her people. Before she left Aite she took a copy of the research Cerberus completed. She could trust this information with Liara and one Admiral. Liara under the guise of the Shadow Broker mediated a meeting between the two. Xen took the research, bought several labs from the Broker for extended study and updated Tali on any break through. On the promise of being returned to the fleet.

"I haven't gotten word back from Admiral Xen about any of the data I sent to her about project Overlord in weeks."

"_That's strange."_ Liara sounded confused. _"Xen has stopped asking for supplies at the research stations she bought from me. And she hasn't had anything taken from anything from the drop off stations in months."_

"What about the rest of the fleet?" She asked impatiently.

"_Nothing."_

Tali was worried now. Something was happening if even Liara hadn't heard from the fleet. "When was the last time you heard anything new?"

"_Six months ago. I did hear of a large party of quarian ships enter near the Perseus veil."_

"Nothing sense then?"

"_I'm sorry Tali. Have you talked to..."_

"No!" Tali shouted, cutting off Liara. "I mean... no... I haven't talked to Shepard about it yet."

"_You have to tell him. Its been a year and you know he'll find out."_

Tali sighed. She hated lying to Shepard. He let her live on his ship and he was like family to her. But she couldn't tell him about this. "I... I will... when I'm ready to tell him."

"_I certainly hope so Tali."_

**Normandy Deck two:**

"What the hell do you mean there's nothing you can do!"

"I'm sorry Jack. We don't have the equipment and there is very little information on your case of biotic neural decay."

"For all we know, using your biotics may be speeding the process."

"Fuck!" Jack's biotic's flared as brightly as her anger. She had been having issues controlling her biotic's. In normal biotic neural decay a biotic loses power, for Jack it was the opposite. She was getting stronger, too strong. Her amps have been burning out, something as simple as pulling a glass towards her results in the glass shattering. She is slowly losing control.

Doctor Chakwas put a hand on her shoulder. "I am sorry Jack. There are options."

Jack slapped the hand away. "What like you scooping out a piece of my brain? Fuck that!" She got off the bed and made her way out of of the med bay.

"I'll have to tell Shepard about your condition. You could endanger the mission"

Jack stopped in front of the door. The doctors words hit like a charging krogan. "I'll tell him doc."

"Thank you Jack and let me know if anything changes."

Jack left with out saying anything. The doctor went back to her desk, opening her desk drawer and pulling out a bottle of serrice ice brandy. Jack came to her about an issue with her biotics. Jack explained her condition and after an hour of cranial scans and other tests that Jack asked for the doctor found nothing that would help with out sending her to a hospital. Jack's condition will eventually kill her.

**Omega, Warehouse:**

When Shepard got a message from Aria when he entered the system he didn't expect to be held at gun point in the After life club and later in a fire fight with gang members. Aria has a new found hatred for Cerberus and after a tense conversation and a little gun play later Shepard found himself running an errand for the crime lord. A rival gang isn't coming under heel and Aria wants them to think a spectre is working for her. She also added as an incentive the fact the have a member of Shepard's crew captured.

"Stand back! I'll do it I'll kill this bitch!"

Shepard found them in a warehouse. Half of them couldn't shoot straight and most ran when they saw Shepard's face. Most except this guy. He was turian and so scared that he couldn't hold his gun without shaking. Shepard couldn't just shoot him due to the fact he held a former member of his crew as a human shield.

"Oh it looks like you have me in a bind. Do you know who I am."

The turian nodded. "Good then you know he'll shoot me just as fast as he'd shoot you!"

"Kasumi please be quiet." Shepard asked. When he got here those that didn't run, stayed and fought. They died fairly quickly. He was surprised to see Kasumi of all people here and taken hostage.

Shepard raised his pistol. "I see you favor a phalanx turian. I'm more of a hand cannon kind of guy my self."

"Oh your seriously talking to this asshole!" Kasumi lamented. " Just shoot him."

Shepard winked at the thief. "You know the problem with the phalanx is that laser. Every one can see what your trying to shoot at and by the time you pull the trigger your marks moved out of the way."

The turian backed up more. "Shut up!"

Shepard got closer, his weapon still raised at the turian. "My hand cannon doesn't have that problem. For example since I've raised it I've had a shot on you." Shepard pulled the trigger. The turian screams in agony as he falls to the floor.

Kasumi exhaled. "Thanks Shep! Could you have been any slower?"

"Your welcome. But why did they have you here to begin with? Is it about the grey box?"

The thief shook her head. "No. I found some information about the geth."

Shepard raised an eye brow. "Really?"

"Yeah. I ran across some Alliance intel while I was doing a job. Apparently a large number of geth ships were seen leaving the traverse and going into the veil."

"I'm not even going to ask who you did this job for."

Kasumi chuckled lightly. "Couldn't tell you. I never saw who. I just got worded messages and I was being payed a grip."

"What happened?"

"I went in to give the guy what he wanted and next thing I know I was being shot at by some commandos."

"I ran to Omega, hired some help in case those guys followed me. Turns out they know about me being apart of your crew and figured they could get some money off of you."

"Aria told me to take them down as a favor. Apparently Cerberus and her had a falling out." Shepard turned to leave the warehouse. "I hope things work out for you Kasumi. Stay safe out there."

"Shepard wait!" Kasumi called.

Shepard turned back around. "Yes?"

"I've still got people tracking me down. What ship is safer than the Normandy?"

"Are you asking to be apart of the crew?" Shepard questioned. "We do realize I'm fighting against the Reapers. The kind of ship the citadel fleet couldn't handle."

Kasumi shrugged. "Oh no problem. I either die and get thrown into a ditch by some pissed off commandos or I crash and burn on the Normandy with friends!" Kasumi walked passed the commander.

Shepard stood and watched the thief for a moment. He runs into her at some nameless warehouse on Omega and just like that she's apart of the crew. He wasn't sure if his string of bad luck had just changed or if things where getting worse.

**Normandy, Captains quarters:**

Shepard collapsed into his desk after struggling to get his armor off. The failure at Feros still nagged at him. He took all the responsibility for the Throian retaking control of the colony and it being destoryed by the geth. He was hoping this tip about the geth and the veil was some kind of lead into why they would start attacking human colonies.

Shepard's monitor flashed in the corner of his eye. It was Ashley Williams trying to open a video chat. Shepard opened the com. "Hey skipper."

Shepard was happy to see Ashley. The geth invading, the Reapers and the thorian was all he thought about. Ashley was a welcome distraction. "How is it going Ash."

"Well I'll be shipped off to some remote location that I can't talk about and Shepard your as easy as a book to read, so whats wrong?" Ashley strung all that together. She knew him too well.

"I heard about Feros. The geth really attacked it?"

Shepard nodded, not saying a word. "Well stop blaming yourself!"

"I never said I was."

"You didn't have to. I know you Shepard and right now your taking the death of all those colonists as a failure on your part."

"Just make those synthetic bastards pay for each dead human!"

Shepard nodded. "Alright. So whats this mission your on?"

Ashley shrugged. "Can't talk about it. But they do have a lot of us guarding a few lab coats."

"What about you Spectre?"

Shepard leaned back into his chair, slouching over. "I'm going into geth space. Something is going on in the veil."

Ashley was surprised, her eyes were wide and her mouth hung slightly open. "You're not seriously going in there alone?"

"That is the plan. The council can't be bothered with hunches and the Alliance doesn't have any ships to spare."

Ashley closed her eyes and gave a frustrated sigh. "Just be careful out there Shepard."

A smile formed on the corner of his mouth. "Aren't I always?"

"Thats what I'm afraid of."

**AN/ Well this chapter was a little less Shepard centric, what do you think? **


	7. Journey into the Veil part 1

**Chapter 7: Journey into the Veil part. 1**

"This is the SSV Normandy SR2 to any ships in the area." Joker called hoping to hear from some one. "This is hopeless." Joker groaned. The Normandy had been patrolling the Perseus Veil for a week with out any signal from the quarians or geth.

"_Patience Jeff." _E.D.I responded.

"Well maybe you're fine with going into one of the most dangerous areas of the Galaxy but..." He was interrupted by the chiming of the ships monitor.

"_I'm getting a distress signal from a nearby debris field."_

They flew to the source of the signal. It was in the systems asteroid belt, the remains of a battle they missed. "E.D.I run a scan."

"_Processing... I'm not picking up any life signs Jeff. But this debris is fairly recent."_

"Again?" They've seen wreckage like this before. The sight of a battle that happened before they entered the system. Most of wreckage they came across was of geth ships, but quarian vessels littered the asteroid field. "What happened here?"

"Where are the Live ships?"

"_I'm picking something up on the long range scans!"_ E.D.I announced. _"The silhouette is geth!" _

"_Jeff the geth have opened fire!"_

"Oh shit!"

Joker flew the Normandy deeper into the asteroid field avoiding fire from the incoming geth ships. Explosions from geth disruptor torpedoes rocked the ship. "Danm it! E.D.I how many ships are on us?"

"_Six ships are in pursuit." _

With the geth still on their tail, Joker continued through the asteroidfield. The geth had more trouble maneuvering in the debris, some even crashed training to chase the Normandy. The Normandy wasn't unaffected either. Joker could fly passed the bigger asteroids easily, but the smaller ones were unavoidable and dropped the ships shields down even further.

"_Shields at 53% and falling!"_

Joker wasn't worried. This was his ship, she knew how she moved and every sound she made. He destroyed the collector ship that destroyed the original Normandy and was at the head of the fleet during the Battle of the Citadel. His ship would not lay down with out a fight.

The Normandy ascended through the asteroid field, the geth following closely behind. _"Shields at 30%" _He ignored E.D.I . Joker banked the ship left. The geth ships speeding passed the Normandy. With the geth at the Normandy's bow Joker activates the main gun. The thanix obliterates half of the ships in one shot.

"_More ships coming over head!" _E.D.I announced.

"Ah hell more geth?" Joker looked out of the window, the geth were retreating, disruptor torpedoes rained down over them. The remaining ships were destroyed, But by who?

"_The ship responsible seems to be of quarian make."_

"So they really are this deep in the veil." Joker said relieved to have survived this latest battle. "Well at least we aren't chasing ghosts."

"_They're trying to open a com link." _

Joker pressed a button on his monitor. "Patching them through."

_This is Admiral Daro Xen of the Moreh requesting communication with SSV Normandy SR2._

"Message received Moreh." Joker answered. "What do you need Admiral?"

_Well you can start by docking with the ship. _The Admirals voice was strong and authoritative. _"You are in an active war zone and trespassing in a quarian controlled system." _

"Quarian controlled?" Joker a surprised said aloud. "Normandy docking with the Moreh."

**Moreh, Bridge:**

Shepard made his way through the massive ship. The Moreh was every bit as big as the Ascension back at the Citadel, maybe even a little bigger. A quarian woman he recognized as Admiral Daro Xen vas Moreh stood on the bridge, facing a massive window; watching the vast expanse of space. Shepard caught up and stood next to the Admiral. "I'm glad you could make it Shepard." She greeted.

"You are about to witness the rebirth of the quarian people!" She proclaimed, her arms outstretched to add emphasis. "And you and your friend Tali are to thank. Both of you are hero's to my people!"

Shepard was confused. How was he to tank for the quarians regaining a few of their systems? "I don't think I understand Admiral? How have the quarian been so successful without any help?"

Admiral Xen looked at the Commander. Even with her helmet Shepard could guess that she was about to tell him something he didn't know before. "You didn't order Tali Zorah to forward information regarding Cerberus' Overlord project?"

Shepard's eyes narrowed. "No I didn't."

"Ah well the thanks is mine to give." She answered, seeming not to care about Shepard's bewilderment. "Because of Tali we can finally regain control of the geth!"

Shepard cocked his head over to the side, trying to figure out exactly what was going on. "How where the quarians able to advance this far into geth space?" Shepard questioned.

"We took the data we got from the Overlord project, improved the hacking methods and created a simple A.I. That changes faster than the geth can adapt." She answered proudly. "Its only a matter of time before we have their entire collective under control."

"An A.I. Admiral? That's insane!" Shepard exclaimed. "So you create another monster to replace the ones you have? And you are willing to put the lives of every quarian in the flotilla a risk to reclaim quarian space?"

"Yes I am human!" Xen snapped, gaining the attention of the quarians on the bridge. "In the last six months we've been able to recover five systems and the geth are starting to fall under our control!"

"I can't believe the other Admirals would agree with this." Shepard said, disgusted with the woman in front of him.

"They didn't. The Admiralty isn't our only government body Shepard. "

"The conclave?" Shepard asked quizzically.

"Yes Shepard." She replied in a condescending tone. "I had just enough votes to to get the conclave to agree with me. Shala'Raan and that coward Zaal'Koris cannot get in my way this time around."

Shepard didn't trust her. Her intentions may be good but Shepard could tell there was some bottom line Xen was after. "What are you planning Xen?"

"That is a sensitive military matter." She responded simply. "I appreciate you for taking the time to meet with me." She signaled her guards.

"Please escort the Commander to his ship." The Admiral calmly ordered. "And do please send Tali aboard. The people want to meet their hero."

**Normandy, CIC: **

The airlock hissed open as Shepard walked in. In front of the door was Tali, who evidently had been waiting for him. "Shepard..."

"So when were you going to tell me about the over lord data?" Shepard questioned.

"Well you see... I... I... oh keelah." Tali rambled. "Shepard I'm sorry I just... I had to do this."

Shepard sighed, scratching his head. "You don't need to apologize." Tali knew she didn't have to, but lying to Shepard is what bothered her. He stuck by her when she was exiled and he was doing it now.

"Thank you Shepard." She said quietly, relieved that Shepard was handling it so well.

"Don't mention it." Shepard said, giving the machinist a reassuring smile. "I here the quarian want to thank their hero. You might want to check that out."

"So you're kicking me off the ship?" Tali questioned.

"You are their hero now Tali. " Shepard continued. "Xen wants to talk to you on the Moreh, you might even be invited back to the fleet by the Admiralty board. " He walked passed her.

"Whether or not you come back is up to you Tali."

**AN/ And I've updated once again and always randomly. I'm trying to work on that though. How does two chapters a week sound?**

**Anyway Ashley/Kaiden will be squad members in ME3! Please leave a review if it so compels you, tell me how you like the story, what I'm doing wrong/right. **


	8. Journey into the Veil part 2

**Chapter 8: Journey into the Veil part. 2**

**Moreh, conference room: **

Tali stared at the wall where the holograms of the Admiralty board stood. She is no longer an exile, the board praised her actions and they excepted her back into the fleet. She should be happy. She's anything but. She was proud that her people had been able to recapture several lost systems at a surprisingly low cost of life, but she was ashamed of having to lie to the one man who stuck by her when the people celebrating her were calling her traitor.

"Some thing wrong Tali?" A concerned voice asked from behind her.

She turned around, it was Admiral Daro Xen. The woman who helped her back into the fleet and the one who used the over lord data to bring the Migrant Fleet back into their home systems. "Oh... its nothing Admiral."

The Admiral put a hand on her shoulder. "This is your day child. You have brought us back from the verge of extinction. Rael'Zorah would be so proud."

Tali lowered her head at the mention of his name. "Thanks Admiral." She said quietly.

The Admiral crossed her arms, seeming to almost stand over Tali. "Tell me child what do you know of the Conclave?"

"The Conclave?" That was a strange question for the Admiral to ask. Every quarian knows the Conclave and its function. Why was she asking this Tali wondered. "The Conclave is made up of representatives from each ship. They make the day-to-day decisions about Fleet business: the collection of resources, the course of the Flotilla and policing duties. Why?"

"I see." The Admiral passed the younger quarian, seemingly in deep thought. "Tali'Zorah vas Normandy I'd like to show you some thing."

* * *

**Normandy:**

"Stealth systems are engaged." Joker said.

"_Drift is just under fifteen hundred K"_

Joker rolled his eyes. "Fifteen hundred is good!" He said mockingly. "Shepard should be pleased."

"Joker I want you to pull us in closer." Shepard ordered, approaching the bridge. "If they haven't heard us yet, we should have a shot."

"These maps are three hundred years old! How do we know that legion wasn't lying about having a space station over the quarian home world?" Joker questioned.

Shepard pointed out the window. "Do you see that Joker?"

Joker looked. He saw debris from a battle fought long ago and an arid looking planet in the distance. The only thing that stuck out to him was the moon. It seemed almost out of place. "You mean the moon over there? What about it?"

"_That is not a moon." _

"Oh don't tell me its a trap." He groaned.

"_That is a super structure, Housing many geth programs. They want us to land." _

* * *

**The Moreh: **

Daro Xen brought Tali to the depths of the ship. The Moreh was the size of a dreadnought and it took about thirty minuets by walking and elevator to get to this level of the ship. It was dark, the hall way lead to a room on the far side of the hall way. No crew inhabited this part of the ship. It was empty.

"You are right you know." Admiral Xen said suddenly after being silent the entire trip. "The conclave is made up of representatives from each ship. But do you know who they are and why you've never seen a member of the Conclave?"

Tali never thought about this. She just assumed they were always working and couldn't be bothered. Was there some thing else she know about? "I am about to show you some thing only the Admiralty Board knows of."

The Admiral motioned Tali to follow her down the hallway. `What am I walking into?' Tali thought. She wondered what this had any thing to do with the Conclave. She was going to find out. The door creaked open. The rooms lights flashed on.

_**Hello Tali'Zorah vas Normandy. I've been expecting you.**_

* * *

**Geth Station: **

Shepard walked out the air lock. He looked around, marveling at the geth structure. This was bigger than any organic made structure he'd seen. The station was built like the heretic geth station, but this was on a much bigger scale. As he walked through the narrow corridor that crossed the air lock he saw geth that sat seemingly dormant, geth server rooms like the ones that held the memories of the geth on heretic station stretched on as far as his eyes could see.

The corridor seemed to stretch on for miles. Farther up he could see a figure standing ahead, waiting for him. It wore black armor that was damaged in the center, a red and white stripe went down it's arm. "Legion is that you?"

"Shepard-Comander. Your visit is unexpected... but welcome." He roboticaly greeted. He walked towards Shepard. "Unfortunately we do not have time for extended conversation."

Shepard nodded. "Legion geth have been attacking human colonies again, whats going on?" Shepard demanded.

"We made an error. We should have destroyed them." The geth responded. "The virus was a trap created by the old machines. They wanted us to rewrite them."

"Damn it!" Shepard thought he was doing the right thing by rewriting the geth, he thought he was getting a better shot at victory against the Reapers by making the geth stronger. But instead he was helping them. "How did all this happen?"

"When we uploaded the virus we uploaded an old machine program with it. Slowly the program corrupted geth and turned them into heretics, putting them against us. " Legion explained. "In our weakened state the geth were not ready for the attack by the creators."

"I wouldn't imagine you would be."

"The creators have brought them selves into great danger."

"From the geth?"

"From the old machines." Legion corrected. "A new A.I. System they've used to overload run times have come under infiltration by the program that has corrupted geth. When the main creator invasion fleet comes to invade Rannoch the Live ships will be unprotected and the creators will be in danger."

* * *

**The Moreh: **

"What the hell is that thing?" Tali demanded, pointing at the hologram in the center of the room. "Having an A.I. aboard a ship goes against laws that have been active since we were forced off the home world!"

_**I am the Conclave child. **_

"No you aren't!" Tali yelled defiantly. "Tell me I'm not seeing what I'm seeing Admiral!"

"It isn't lying Tali. How do you think our species has managed to survive for three hundred years wondering in a decaying fleet? Since the beginning we've used an A.I. that is linked to every ship in the fleet. It monitors our numbers, tells us what resources we need, it's saved us from some of the worst hardships this fleet could have endured." The Admiral tried to reason with the younger quarian, but Tali was too distraught to listen.

"I cannot accept that Admiral."

_**It is fine Admiral Xen. Tali'Zorah just needs time.**_

The Admiral crossed her arms. "I suppose you're right." She sighed.

_**If you will excuse us Admiral, I'd like to talk to the young one alone.**_

Admiral Xen nodded and walked out of the room. Tali stared at the hologram, not saying anything to it. She couldn't believe that for all these years she was being raised by a lie. All her life she learned to hate artificial intelligence. She couldn't believe she was probably raised by this thing more than her own father.

_**We've been watching you for a long time Tali'Zorah.**_

"Since I was born right?" She scoffed.

_**Yes. We've even seen your actions outside the fleet: Your battle with Nazara at the Citadel, regrettably your trial and the assault on the collector base. We have seen all of this.**_

Something was wrong. How could the Conclave have seen the battle of the Citadel or the Collector base? Strangest of all why is it referring to its self as we instead of I? "What did you call Sovereign?" She asked suspiciously.

_**Nazara. That is what our vanguard called its self before your Commander Shepard aided in its defeat**_

* * *

_**The Normandy:**_

"Joker get us to the MigrantFleet!" Shepard ordered as the air lock opened, Legion following behind. "We need to warn them about an attack on the Live ships!"

"Um... it may be to late for that Commander."

_"__Quarian war ships inbound." __E.D.I announced. _

_"__Processing."_ Shepard looked over to Legion._ "____Shepard- Commander multiple run times are activating to battle the creators." _Legion paused for a moment. ___"New data available!"_

"Oh do share Legion?" Shepard replied in mock eagerness. "Because right now we're looking at the potential extinction of an entire race!"

_"__The geth have found a counter measure to the creator A.I."_ Legion answered_. ____"But it will require uploading it into the A.I. Core of a creator vessel." _

_"_That sounds easy." Joker said mockingly. "Lets just find a quarian ship and upload a geth virus! Yep sounds easy enough."

___Maybe not Jeff. The long range scans are picking up a Reaper silhouette. _

Joker looked at his monitor, scanning it to verify the A.I.'s claims. "E.D.I what are you... oh shit."

"Get this bird in the air Joker!" Shepard ordered. "We're taking that thing down!"

_**AN/ So this seems to be as good a place as any to stop for now. This chapter was one of my favorite chapters to write so far. You know how in others ME3 stories in which its all about the Admiralty board and the Conclave for what ever reason doesn't exist? Or how the quarians, plus an over the top TaliXShepard romance subplot involving the quarians being key to saving the galaxy is involved? Well I can say this fic is nothing like those guys. It takes the entire galaxy to stop the Reapers not ridiculous plot power! **_

_**Anyway unimportant rant over. So what do you guys think of the story so far? Please review and let me know what you think.**_


	9. Journey into the Veil part 3

**Chapter 9: Journey into the Veil part. 3**

_Shields at forty present!_

"I don't need the numbers E.D.I !" Joker shouted, maneuvering the ship away from the beam of energy fired from the Reapers main gun.

The Normandy fought the Reaper along side the quarian invasion force. The Reaper got an early shot at the quarians and destroyed or damaged a line of ships with one blast from its main gun. At the sight of the geth ships, the quarians fired. The geth returned fire and the battle quickly became a mess of ships fighting each other and the Reaper.

"Joker fire the main gun!" Shepard ordered.

_We cannot get a solid shot on the Reaper._

"What?" Shepard snapped. "Why the hell not?"

_With quarian and geth craft swarming the field there is an 93.98724% chance of miss firing and hitting either side._

Joker rolled his eyes. "Well maybe if the geth and the quarians would stop shooting each other for just a second..."

"Joker that is a brilliant idea!" Shepard turned to legion. " Legion do you think you could get in contact with the geth and ask for a cease fire?"

"_We can make the attempt. Only if the creators are willing to do the same."_

"E.D.I get me the quarian Admiral in charge!"

_Processing... a channel has been opened Admiral Han'Gerrel vas Neema."_

"Great." Shepoard thought. Han Gerrel was all for this war with the geth to begin with and right now this battle might depend on a man who's hatred might get in the way.

"_Shepard if you haven't noticed we're in the middle of a battle!" _The Admiral barked. _"What could be so..."_

"Admiral I need you to stop shooting at the geth!" Shepard interrupted, shouting into the comm. "Right now this Reaper is tearing us apart and you and the geth are the only ones with the guns to kill it!"

"_Are you suggesting we work with those things?" _He questioned, disgust lining each word. _"I'd rather die than work with those synthetics!"_

"Then you will Admiral! Look around you, how many quarians do you have in this invasion force of yours? How many are dead already?" Shepard angrily questioned. "Now take a look at the geth fighting this Reaper along side quarians that are trying to kill them. What happens when this thing doesn't go down and there aren't enough ships to stop it from getting to the rest of the Migrant Fleet? Can you live with being responsible for the death of an entire species? Your species?"

There was a long pause. "Well whats it going to be Admiral? Kill a bunch of geth now only to be extinct later? Or are you going to help?"

"_I'll... I'll order the cease fire... and order the attack on the Reaper."_

Shepard turned back to Legion. _"The message has been received. The geth will join the creators in battle."_

Shepard took a deep breath. "Thank god." He whispered to himself. "Joker I want you to circle back . I want the Normandy at the head of this charge."

"Of course you do Commander." He replied. "Such a vanguard."

* * *

**The Moreh:**

"Damn it!" Tali spat. For the last hour she'd been trying different hacking methods to destroy the A.I. Nothing has worked so far.

_**This attack is futile Tali'Zorah. My kind will uplift the quarians with fire and the rest of the galaxy will follow.**_

Tali deactivated her Omni tool. "Well there's this." Tali took out her pistol and fired into the A.I.'s core. "Shepard you're rubbing off on me." She said quietly to herself.

"What have you done?" Admiral Xen yelled, running into the room.

Tali raised her pistol to the Admiral. "I understand I'm committing an act of treason Admiral, but you and I need to talk."

* * *

"_Reaper shields are down!"_

"Alright! Joker go in for the kill!" Shepard ordered.

The Normandy descended on the massive ship. The Reaper took fire from all sides, its hull absorbing the impacts of disruptor torpedo's and javelin missiles. A steam of blue energy coming from the Normandy's main gun tore through the hull. The thannix cannon left a massive hole in the Reaper, the resulting shock wave from the explosion made the Normandy shutter.

Joker took a deep breath. "We did it." He said, letting out an exaggerated exhale.

_We are getting a transmission from the Neema. _E.D.I announced.

Shepard had one this battle. For the first time since the Reaper's arrived in the galaxy he felt like he could win this fight. This was a turning point. But this was just one Reaper and this was just one battle."Put them through." Shepard walked to the comm. "What is it Admiral?"

"_Shepard we just received a distress signal from the rest of the Migrant fleet!"_

"What?" Shepard exclaimed. "Whats going on over there?"

"_We need to mount a rescue operation. The Live ships are..."_

* * *

**The Moreh, bridge:**

"Keelah!" Tali couldn't believe what she was seeing. The Live ships where the pride of the Migrant fleet. Now they were mangled hulks of debris, escape pods and damaged ships littered the the space around them. Damaged ships flew in every direction, those that could send a signal called who ever they could. One thing was adamantly clear... the Migrant fleet was lost.

The crew of the Moreh looked in horror at their once great fleet. Admiral Xen stood away from the crowd that had gathered at the bridge. Tali had brought her up here at gun point, demanding to be taken to the Migrant fleet. She gave into the young quarian's demands. This is what they found when they got there.

"Admiral?" The Admiral looked up in the direction of the voice. Tali stood in front of her. Her hands were balled into fists, her body shook. "Let me take a team to look for survivors." Her voiced cracked.

Xen crossed her arms. "I'll give the order." She mumbled.

Tali nodded, shoving passed the Admiral.

"Admiral Xen!" The Moreh's pilot shouted. "The Neema and the Normandy have returned with the geth! They've started a rescue operation."

The Admiral turned to Tali who was already down the hall. "So I can guess once this is over Tali'Zorah you'll return to your human captain?"

Tali stopped, turning her head slightly to the Admiral. "No."

**AN/ Happy Easter everyone. **


	10. State of the galaxy

**Chapter 10: State of the galaxy**

**AN/ While this chapter isn't required reading... you should read it anyway. Features two OC's from chapter two. Enjoy. **

**The Presidium**

**Mass Relay monument:**

Councilor Tevos seldom got the chance to break from work. Often spending an entire day with her colleagues, either settling a dispute or arguing amongst them selves. But when she could get a break she could often be found admiring the conduit. Her species, the asari were the first race to discover the Citadel. She admired the conduits aesthetic value for years, but after learning of its true purpose she appreciated it as a marvel of engineering that she hopes her kind will one day match. But even now work was all she could think of. "I'm glad you decided to take my call."

"Well when a councilor calls a spectre has no choice but to come running right?" An asari said in a sarcastic tone. "Why did you call me Tev?"

The councilor glared at the asari. "It's councilor to you Raina." The councilor leaned against the railing, separating her and the conduit. "I want to ask you something."

The spectre stood next to the councilor. "Ask away."

"What do you think of Shepard's plan?"

The asari spectre raised an eyebrow. "Do you want me to lie or are you silly enough to want an honest opinion?" She asked.

"Let me have it Raina."

The spectre took an exaggerated exhale. "It won't work. You've seen what these machines can do. The vids of burned out colonies and destroyed patrols. We got lucky at Arcturus, but things are no doubt going to get real ugly real fast." Raina answered, her voice sounded angry. The councilor looked at her hands, they were wrapped tightly around the railing. "And Shepard... try as he might... is going to fail."

"My colleagues share that very sentiment."

"The whole galaxy is falling apart. Shepard is trying his damn best to keep it together." Raina continued. "But when these Reapers do come he'll become the most determined man on the cinder."

"So there's nothing we can do?" The councilor asked, sounding desperate for an answer.

Raina smiled at the councilor. "Normally I'd have a smart remark for you Tev... but not about this." Her voice grew quiet to almost a whisper, her eyes filled with a pronounced sadness. "Truth is... the galaxy is running out of time."

**Turian Frigate **

**(Ship registry undisclosed) **

Being a spectre has its advantages. You can go anywhere in the galaxy unrestricted and for the most part you're above the law. For turian spectre Velentrian Tenais it was as simple as calling the Special Tasks Group for information regarding Cerberus facilities in the traverse. All from the comfort of his private quarters. "Thank you Captain Rentola, the STG's help in this investigation will help save lives."

"No problem at all. The more we all know about this technology Cerberus has acquired the better." The salarian answered in an official tone. "But I thought Shepard was in charge of Cerberus affairs with the council?"

"I believe Shepard may have been corrupted. Finding proof to refute or support this claim is my secondary objective." The turian exhaled. "I hope I'm wrong, but the council wont look into it."

The salarian operative rubbed his chin, staring curiously at the spectre. "I hope you're wrong as well. But it's better to be ready if the worst comes to pass."

"My thoughts exactly Captain." He cut communication. He leaned back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling. "What are you planning Shepard?" He growled. "You die for two years and come back working for terrorists. And the Council just nods, gives you a botched trial and now you have them using mysterious technology supplied by terrorists."

"I'll find out what you and the humans are up to Shepard!" He shouted aloud. "I'll start with this base in the Horse Head Nebula."

**AN/ So Velentrian has a bit of a beef with the first human spectre eh? Well Next chapter will similarly be Shepard less. It does feature Ashley Williams in her own special chapter! **

**Please review.**


	11. A new Project

**Chapter 11: A new "Project"**

**(Undisclosed location):**

Operations chief Ashley Williams had just returned from leave when she got to Arcturus station. Not even an hour later she got her new orders to be on a shuttle to an Alliance research base. She wasn't told much, nothing at all in fact. Only that it was of the utmost importance that she get on a shuttle. It was a two day flight from Arcturus to the base. When she got there she knew why this was a secrete.

The docking hanger was dark, the only light came from the flickering lamps dangling over the soldier. When she landed she was greeted by a woman she met before, though the last time they met it was on a much colder climate. "I know you. You're that internal affairs agent from Noveria aren't you?"

"Gianna Parasini." She greeted. "I here you've made a bit of a name for yourself since all those years ago."

Gianna walked on to the door on the far side of the hanger, Ashley followed. "So why are you working here?" Ashley questioned, being suspicious of the corporate agent.

"I don't work here." Gianna answered quickly, an uneasiness could be heard in her tone. "I supervise at the prothean research site on the other side of the planet. I actually try not to be here unless I'm called by Captain Anderson or Doctor Sanders ."

Ashley wondered why she was so quick to respond. Gianna didn'tseem so easily shaken. What was going on here that makes her so nervous. "Captain Anderson is here?" Ashley asked as the heavy doors opened. Alliance soldiers lined the corridor leading to a single door. Ashley tried making eye contact with them, their faces were like stone. They appeared to be just as on edge as Gianna.

Gianna put her hand on a control panel. "You'll see for yourself." _Gianna Parasini, Noveria representative and liaison officer between New Project base and Operation second coming. Access approved. _An automated voice said. The door swung open.

Ashley followed her in. "So is this all gonna remain all mysterious or am I going to get answers?" Ashley impatiently asked.

Gianna didn't turn around. "Take a look." She pointed at a glass window that followed the same path at the hallway. Ashley walked over and was shocked at what she saw.

"Oh my god!" the room below was full of stasis pods containing husks, some looking as if they belonged to different species. "Whats going on here?" Ashley stepped in front of Gianna.

"On that level their experimenting the brain patterns of indoctrinated slaves. Husks I think their called." She answered. The expression on the soldier in front of her demanded more. "Look Doctor Sanders and Anderson can explain, their two levels up."

"I hope so Parasini."

* * *

**Level 2: **

The last level of the base was significantly smaller than the rooms Ashley saw on the way to the second level. Other rooms had teams of scientists studying strange artifacts and others seemed to be performing surgery on the corpse of what seemed to her to be the remains of a collector. This room housed monitoring equipment, data bases and other devices that Ashley wasn't even going to attempt to guess their purpose. She wanted to know what was happening here.

"I'm glad you could make it Williams." Ashley recognized that voice. It was authoritative and echoed in her mind when ever she heard it. It was Captain Anderson. She saluted the officer in front of her.

"I'm sure you already seen some of the goings on here chief?" He asked, returning the salute. "I'm sure you have some questions."

`Damn right I do!` Ashley thought. "I'd like to know whats going on Captain? I hear you retire from the council and now I find you here."

Anderson sighed. "Its... complicated Williams."

"It doesn't have to be David." A woman's voice added. A large screen in the front of the room appeared. The voice belonged to an older blond haired woman of normal height and build for a woman her age. In the back ground a large object could be seen in the back ground, pulsating some kind of energy. She looked towards Gianna. "Thank you Gianna for escorting chief Williams to the New project base."

Gianna nodded. "Not a problem."

The doctor looked back at Ashley. "Excuse me chief Williams, I'm Staff Lieutenant Kahlee Sanders. I'm a computer and systems technician with the Alliance. Some might go as far as calling me an expert on synthetic intelligence."

Ashley nodded. "I'll start with this projects goals." The Lieutenant cleared her throat. "We are studying Reaper indoctrination and technology. Our mission is to learn their motives and ultimately defeat them. And before you ask, we ship in new personnel every month to avoid the affects of indoctrination."

"That's fine and all, but isn't the extinction of all organic life fairly clear cut? If you don't mind my saying ma'am?"

Sanders put her fingers through her hair, shaking her head. "We're starting to think its more complicated than that. Why would a race of machines want to exterminate all life in the galaxy for seemingly no reason? What purpose would that serve?"

"I can't say I know ma'am."

"There is something more to this cycle of extinction than we know. And I think it may have something to do with the collectors targeting human colonies and dark matter build up." Sanders added.

"How is any of that related? And whats this about dark matter build up?" Ashley asked. Some what skeptical of the claims being made.

Sanders seemed to has lost patience. "Gianna could you please explain to chief Williams?"

Ashley turned to the internal affairs agent. "A firm affiliated with Noveria recently found a prothean ruin with a working prothean V.I."

"Like the one on Illos!" Ashley interrupted.

"Yes. And on the other side planet a Reaper artifact was found, and since the Alliance has rights to this planet we contacted them with our findings. They've been funding this project and scientists from Noveria have been working at the prothean sight."

"What did you find?"

"That the cycle of extinction isn't as simple as we once thought it was." Sanders answered. "Every fifty thousand years the Reapers destroy all advanced life in the galaxy. When this cycle starts they pick out a race they believe has the most potential and turns them into slaves. Much like the protheans that were turned into collectors."

Ashley wasn't sure what to make of all this. When she arrived she expected an ordinary mission and not a galaxy shattering revelation."How does all that relate?"

Sanders exhaled. "Its just a theory, but as far as we can tell this is the Reapers have some idea of saving what they would call "a worthy species", from a galaxy wide extinction event. You see chief we don't think they just need the Citadel mass relay to get into the galaxy. We think they need it to control the relay network."

"Think of the citadel as a giant restart button for the relay network." Captain Anderson included. "After using the mass relays for a period of time dark matter begins to build up and age stars rapidly. Some how they can reverse this dark matter build up and prevent stars from getting old."

"Then why not just warn the galaxy, instead of wiping us all out?" Ashley asked desperately.

"We don't know." Sanders answered coldly. "But we do know that the attack at Arcturus and the the random colony attacks were only a distraction. They intend to use the Citadel relay to bring the rest of their fleet in and begin the cycle anew."

**AN/ So I've met my quota of two chapters a week. I'm not sure I'll up date again this week. (depends on the kind of feedback I get.) But if we all remember Shepard was last seen in the Perseus Veil, aiding the quarians against a Reaper attack. I haven't decided if I want Tali returning to the ship or Legion coming aboard or the both of them staying on Rannoch. (I gotta figure that out) **

**Anyway as always thank for reading! **


	12. Revenge and its price

**Chapter 12: Revenge and its Price**

**Minuteman Station:**

"Hold him back!"

"Argh!"

"We can't stop him!"

Mercenaries had highjacked a Cerberus base in the Horse Head Nebula. They had intended this to be an ambush, but Shepard had other plans. He plowed through the mercs, cutting more down as he blasted through. Shepard took cover behind a metal crate. Two mercenaries fire wildly at the spectre, blocking the elevator. An arc of blue energy shot out of Shepard's hand, sending the two mercs floating through the air. He walked toward the helpless mercs, picking them off one at a time with his M-23 Katana.

The elevator doors swung open. Shepard walks in, not knowing what he'll find when he gets to the top floor. But one thing was certain. "She'd better be alive!"

* * *

**The Normandy, comm room**

**hours ago:**

Shepard had just finished briefing the council on the quarian/geth situation and while they are genuinely concerned about the new geth threat, along with the Reapers, what angered Shepard was their relative indifference to the amount of lives lost, calling it "a Migrant fleet concern". Two million dead quarians was not what Shepard would call a "Migrant fleet concern." This was a threat by the Reapers and what could possibly be what comes next for the rest of the galaxy.

_Shepard you've got a new message from operative Lawson. _E.D.I announced.

"Put her through." Shepard ordered.

There was a long silence and finally voice came from the other side. "Shepard ignore this message its a..." The voice was shaky and panicked, it belonged to Miranda. She was interrupted by a loud thud and a feral roar a moment later.

There was another pause. "Miranda whats going on? Miranda come in!" Shepard ordered.

"I'm sorry but your Cerberus dog is indisposed at the moment." A deeper raspier voice said in a mocking way.

Shepad knew the voice. "Tombs?"

"Right you are, Shepard!"

Shepard's hands balled into fists. "Tomb's if you did anything to her I swear there isn't a place in this whole galaxy I wont go to kill you."

"You aren't in the position to make threats!" He hollered. "You joined Cerberus! The experiments they did on me were monstrous, I'm going to pay them back for the years of my life they stole from me!"

"I'm not going to reason with you Tomb's! Now you tell me where she is!"

A faint chuckle could be heard in the back ground, The connection cut. "E.D.I did you get where that transmission came from?"

_It came from a Cerberus facility in the Horse Head nebula._

"Chart a course for that base E.D.I!"

* * *

**Minuteman Station,**

**Miranda's office:**

It took a few moments to get to the top floor, with each second feeling like an eternity. Miranda had saved him from death and became a friend. They didn't always agree, but he'd do anything she asked and would gladly give his life for her.

The elevator screeched open. The room was in disarray and light was almost absent. Miranda was on the floor, bound, gagged and beaten... but alive. Tombs stood over her, holding a pistol to her head. "I'm glad you could make it Shepard!" His voice was rage filled. "Now you'll watch as I kill this Cerberus bitch!" He threatened.

Shepard grip on his shotgun tightened. "Tombs." He grunted.

"It's nothing personal..." He didn't finish. Shepard bioticaly charged across the room in a blue flash, slamming Tombs against the window.

Shepard held his shot gun under Tombs' chin. "You're right." Shepard spoke coldly and with out emotion, his eyes were predatory. "Nothing personal!" The room erupted with the blast of Shepard's shot gun.

Shepard threw his weapon aside and ran to Miranda, rapidly untying her bonds. Miranda was motioning her head towards the side of the room and trying to say something but her voice was muffled by the gag. Shepard looked up, a man stood watching them on the other side of the room. His face was concealed, but you could tell he was human. "I was waiting for you, Shepard." His voice was rough and gravelly. "You're a hard man to find."

Shepard reached to his side to draw his pistol. A bang and the sudden impact of a concussive shot hitting him in the chest prevented him. "Twenty years, Shepard." His voice rasped. He walked out of the shadows, boots clattering on the metal floor. "Twenty years I chased, Vido and you let'em get away!"

He wore yellow armor that appeared to have seen many a battle. "Zaheed?" Shepard gasped trying to catch his breath.

He stepped into the light, his face horrifically scared by burns, Shepard caused when leaving him to die on Zorya. "Surprised."

Shepard was unfazed by his appearance. "I should have shot you myself. I do enjoy the make over though." Shepard replied. Zaheed raised his assault rifle, firing a round past Shepard's head. "Getting near sighted, old man? "

"I've gotta ask though, Messani. Why team with a bunch fourth rate mercenaries like Tomb's?" Shepard questioned. Zaheed stood above him, aiming down at the spectre.

"I knew where to find this place, Tomb's had the bodies and once I found Miranda here I knew you'd come running for her." He answered, his voice sounding more like a growl. "I'll have to let Jack know how much I appreciate her letting me borrow that Cerberus intell."

_So this was the merc band Jack mentioned. _Shepard thought. "So what happens now? You kill her in front of me, to make me suffer? Both of us? Me in front of her?" Shepard listed.

Zaheed had a sinister smirk form in the corner of his mouth. "I was thinking I take out your biotic amp, break your arms and legs, while you watch me and Miranda get reacquainted. Then I kill her in front of you."

Shepard pointed past Zaheed. "Good luck."

A blue aura could be seen emanating from behind the mercenary. "Oh Shit!" Zaheed shot into the air, slamming into the ceiling and back to the ground.

Miranda was able to just barely stand, her knees shook and she began to wobble. Shepard picked himself up and caught the Cerberus agent. "Miranda are you all right?"

"I told you not to come." She winced in pain, her face looking tired.

Shepard smiled at the Cerberus agent. "You know me."

Shepard looked over to Zaheed, he was beginning to stir back to his feet. "Sit tight for just a minute." Shepard gently placed Miranda on her back. He marched over to the mercenary. Zaheed crawled to his rifle, he reached his hand out. Shepard kicked it aside.

"I see when you get older you get chatty." Shepard said, his pistol drawn on the mercenary. "And at this moment this is me, holding a gun over your head."

"Screw you Shepard!"

"And this is you." Shepard fired, hitting Zaheed in the back of his hand. "Still talking." Shepard planted a boot on the side of Zaheed's head. He holstered his pistol.

"Look at you old man." Shepard helped him back to his feet. "Show me what you've got." Zaheed charged the spectre tackling him to the floor. He lands a punch to the jaw, he raises his fist for another strike as Shepard counters with a headbutt, a satisfying crack could be heard when he connected. A stunned Zaheed backed off. Shepard scrambles to his feet. Zaheed swings at Shepard. He evades it, locking the mercs arm into place and twisting it back. Breaking it. Shepard stomps on the back of Zaheed's leg, dropping him onto one knee. Shepard's knee rose, slamming into Zaheed's face. His head snapped back, smacking the hard metal floor.

Shepard stood over the veteran. "That was round two."

Zaheed spat out blood. "Go to hell!"

Shepard dropped a disk shaped object on top of the Mercenary. "You first." He whispered as he walked away. The disk exploded, bursting the mercenary into flames. Shepard walked back to Miranda, picking her up and carrying her in his arms. He walked out of the base with out saying a word, the curses of a burning man echoing behind him.

* * *

**Minuteman Station,**

**Miranda's office, hours later:**

Velentrian arrived too late. He had hoped Shepard would be here, but apparently he was late to the party. Every one was dead. Even the Cerberus crew, which surprised the spectre. His goal was to uncover Shepard double dealing with Cerberus or even a Cerberus plot to attack the council. He found nothing, nothing remotely close enough to aid him in his campaign against the first human spectre.

"Damn you human!" He growled, stepping over a charred corpse of one the many dead mercs. He walked to the corner of the room, where a computer terminal stood. He logged in with his omni tool. Who ever used it last didn't log off and was open for anyone to use. He couldn't find anything overtly incriminating here either. Not even any locations of Cerberus bases.

"Ah ha!" He found some thing. A file containing something called _The New Project. _"What do we have here?" He opened it. Information about a secret prothean facility on Caleston. It didn't give any details but it gave coordinates and names. One of those being the name of former human councilor David Anderson.

"This can't be a coincidence." He kept reading. The names of several high ranking Alliance admirals had their names on the project as well. Even the name of a spectre. "Not the one I wanted, but she'll do until I can find something on Shepard."

As he kept reading he saw several references to_ husks_, _collectors_ and_ Reapers_. "They must be related some how!" He exclaimed. "And the humans are behind it all!" He had made up his mind right then. He would go to this project base and stop this human plot once and for all.


	13. Done right and other things

**Chapter 13: Done right and other things**

**Normandy, Med-bay:**

"Dr. Chakwas I think she's waking up!"

Miranda stirred slowly making her out of bed, the lights blurred her vision. Her head pounded, her body ached and she swore she heard Shepard's voice. "Don't try to get up just yet." She felt some one grab her hand the voice was rough, but reassuring. She was safe.

"Is that you Shepard?" She could make out a mans face. It looked tired and worn, but his eyes had a kindness in them that had earned her trust a long time ago.

"Most days. Others I'm saving your ass." Shepard joked. "How do you feel?"

She looked up at Shepard, her head still pounded and the lights of the Normandy's med-bay did nothing to help. "Like hammered shit." She grunted.

"Yeah they did quite a number on you. Its over now though." Shepard looked away for a moment, his grip tightening on her hand. "You're safe."

"You're crushing my hand, Shepard."

Shepard let go. "Oh sorry." Shepard had an embarrassed look on his face.

A smile widened on Miranda's face. "This looks familiar."

"This is how we first met isn't it?"

Miranda nodded. "Except we were in opposite places." She reached out to Shepard, touching his face. None of this seemed real to her. Weeks ago she lead Cerberus, was held hostage by a merc band and as of yesterday saved by Shepard. "Its good to see you Commander."

Shepard took her hand. "Its good to see you to Miranda." They stared at each other for a while, there eyes locked in on each other, both not wanting to look away.

The med bay doors opened. Dr. Chakwas stepped in, scanning a data pad. "Good my patient is awake." She said, looking up from her data pad. "You can leave now Commander."

Shepard nodded. "Right." Shepard walked away, the doors hissing behind him.

Miranda got up, sliding over to the side of the cot. "How long was I out?"

"Two days." Chakwas answered quickly.

"Two days ?" Miranda exclaimed.

"Yes and Shepard didn't leave your side for any of them." The doctor said in a matter of fact sort of way. "He was really worried about you."

"Was he?" Miranda asked, sounding surprised.

"The entire crew was. When Shepard brought you in you were beaten, bloodied and bruised. The first couple hours could have gone either way. " The doctor explained. "But you pushed through."

Miranda looked at the floor, a smile forming I the corner of her mouth. "Thank you doctor."

* * *

**Port Observation:**

"So do we always drink and brood in the dark or is this a special occasion?" Kasumi's tone was sarcastic. "What wrong, Garrus?"

Garrus sat at the bar, swallowing down drink after drink. "Its the Reapers Kasumi." Garrus exhaled. "They're always a step ahead and now they've got an army of geth!"

Kasumi sat next to the turian. "Yeah they seem pretty invincible."

"They just rolled through the Migrant fleet and the rest of the Galaxy doesn't even seem to care."

"We did the best we could, Garrus. We couldn't have known about the heretic geth's reaper virus." Kasumi said, trying to comfort the turian.

"But rewriting them was supposed to fix that, instead we walked into a trap!" Garrus yelled. Garrus looked away, lowering his head. "I'm sorry. I just want something to go right." He said quietly.

"That doesn't sound like a strictly `Reaper` issue." Kasumi pointed out. "Talk to me about it."

"Its everything Kasumi. It was C-sec, my team on Omega and Sidonis." Garrus explained, sounding defeated Garrus continued. "This situation with the Reapers and everything we've done up until this point have all just back fired on us. I don't know, but I just..."

Kasumi's hand brushed against Garrus's face, gently stroking past the scar. "For something to go right?" She interrupted.

She looked at the turian, biting her bottom lip. "I know exactly what you mean."

* * *

**The Briefing room:**

"The quarian matter is of some concern, but this does not immediately threaten council space."

"Doesn't immediately threaten council space?" Shepard shouted. "So an fleet of geth and Reapers that could come to the Citadel any day now isn't a threat?"

Shepard was called into a meeting with the council; to tell them what happened in the veil. He hoped they would at least send some aid to the quarians, but unsurprisingly the council viewed this as a "quarian matter" and being that they aren't a council race gave them an excuse not to involve themselves.

"And from your report you've indicated they are taking refuge on Rannoch, they're home world." The salarian councilor added. "How have they managed this?"

"The geth not effected by the virus took the survivors in. Apparently the geth restored much of the planet after their war with the quarians."

"I want to know more of this virus." The turian councilor questioned. "How did the geth join the rank of your "reapers" if you rewrote them?"

"When I rewrote the geth there was another hidden virus encrypted in their systems. When the geth heretics assimilated with the main body of geth the Reaper virus went to work and turned more geth to their side."

"Really?" The turian councilor sneered at Shepard. "That sounded like a choice you made as you humans say, coming back to haunt you." His tone was condescending. "You should have destroyed them!"

"I didn't know what would happen when I rewrote them!" Shepard shouted.

"And now because of you, there is a fleet of geth roaming the galaxy!" The turian councilor shouted back.

"Enough both of you!" The asari councilor interrupted, she turned her head at her fellow council member. "Shepard made the decision based on evidence he had at the time and couldn't have foreseen the consequences." She turned to Shepard. "You are a spectre, your actions have far reaching effects on the galaxy as a whole and you need to realize that, let this situation be a lesson."

"A lesson that puts us all in danger!" The turian councilor growled.

"There is another issue we wish to discuss Commander." Said the salarian councilor. "We need you to escort a krogan female off the salarian home world of Sur'kesh."

Shepard raised an eye brow. "Why not just send her off world yourself?"

"The krogan clans are in a current state of civil war and this female could tip the balance." The turian councilor continued. "You already have connections to the clan leader we want her sent to."

"Wrex?"

"Yes, we believe his idea to unite the krogan to be just. You delivering the female to him wont be viewed with as much suspicion as us delivering her." The asari councilor explained.

Shepard nodded. "I'll do it."

"You'll go to a research facility were and STG detachment will hand over the krogan to you. From there you'll go to Tuchanka with the female." The turian councilor ordered.

"This meeting is adjourned."

**AN/ Well I'm back, schools out and its time to update... everything. New chapters all this week (if I've got time to post them) Looks like we'll be headed to the salarian home world next chapter. I'll see you there. **

**Please review. **


	14. Enlightened

**Chapter 14: Enlightened**

**Sur'kesh,**

**STG facility:**

"So the plan is to walk in grab this krogan princes and deliver her to Tuchanka?" Kasumi asked, breaking the silence that had formed on the way to the facility.

"You don't ever shut up do you?" Jack's tone was angry and her words sounded more like a growl.

"Well excuse me for trying to start conversation!"

Shepard remained quiet while his team mates bickered. He took in the sights of the planet around him. The facility sat on top of a mountain, lush greenery surrounded it. And considering the nature of the salarian STG this was likely on purpose. The base seemed to isolated and from the air lacked up keep. The landing pad they used was covered with moss, vines and other plant life. Opposite their shuttle and the landing pad was the rest of the base. Buildings didn't rise much past the tree line and the few that did had large turrets facing skyward to ward off any prying eyes. The team headed toward a train to the larger building, where Shepard would pick up this krogan.

A loud roar could be heard in the sky above. The canopy blocked it but what looked like fighters flying past the taller buildings. Firing at them on their way. Shepard and his team ran to the train, looking up at the destroyed buildings. "What the hell was that?" Jack snapped.

A question Shepard wanted to know his self. "Joker tell me what's going on!" Shepard ordered into his radio.

"_Cerberus frigates are in orbit above Sur'kesh and their dropping hostiles on the bases location!"_

_`Why would Cerberus attack _this_ base?` _Shepard wondered. He started the train and headed for his original destination. "Me and the cheer leader are gonna have serious words when this is over!" Shepard heard Jack growl.

"Lets not jump to any conclusions before we talk to her."

Jack rolled her eyes. "What ever you say, boss man."

"Not to be the bearer of bad new but, we've got company!" Kasumi gestured to the back of the train.

Six Cerberus commandos made their way up the train. The team took cover behind a set of crates, the Cerberus troops opening fire. Shepard returned fire with his battle rifle, Jack and Kasumi had pistols drawn and also fired back. Shepard looked ahead, the train was about to crash in the station. "Shit!" They were still pinned down by gun fire. He looked to his side and noticed Jack wasn't there. She ran down the train, a biotic barrier soaking up each shot. "What the hell are you doing?"

She didn't hear him. Shepard ran out of cover and towards the biotic, he stopped. Awe struck at what he saw. Jack's arms were out stretched and a section of the train in front of her was illuminated by dark blue energy. She threw her arms up and the train jerked back violently, knocking Shepard over and sending that section of train in the air, with it crashing down.

The train stopped. Shepard found himself staring blankly at Jack. He'd never seen a display of biotic power like that before. "Yes lesser being, be in awe of the biotic god before you." Kasumi joked, giving her voice a deeper and dramatic tone. "Oh and I stopped the train, so lets pick this krogan and leave."

Shepard got back to his feet, he looked back at Jack. She was out of breath, blood ran down her nose. "We having a fucking staring contest?" Jack yelled, noticing Shepard. "Let's go." She said, wiping her nose.

* * *

**New Project base, **

**observation post three:**

"So what are you doing here? The council assigned me to this base."

"They thought you could use some help with this one Williams."

"I can handle it." Ashley said, not hiding the bitter tone in her voice. She turned to the man she spoke to, he was a turian, he was missing an mandible and had a jagged scar that ran from the right side of his face and settled under his right eye. "I didn't catch your name."

"Oh." He sounded surprised. Ashley could tell he was faking it and didn't really care as to why he put so much effort into trying. "Velentrian Tenais and an agent of the council, like yourself. I must say it is an honor to work with you Williams, surviving the death of your entire unit, Virmire and the Shepard investigation last year. Too bad you didn't find anything to implicate that traitor, Shepard."

"Watch your mouth!" Ashley snapped. "Shepard is a lot of things, but traitor isn't one of them. My investigation proved that."

The turian scoffed. "My mistake. Excuse my choice of language, don't you find the actions of the first human spectre at least a little suspect?"

"No." Ashley was getting real tired of his pretending. "He's done what he's had to."

"But you don't agree with all of them do you?" His question felt more like an accusation, but he was right. She didn't. His work with Cerberus and their sole ownership of collector technology, was unsettling. A year ago when she got word of the council capturing Shepard, she engineered his escape from the Citadel as a way to further her own investigation of Cerberus.

"I've read your report Williams, the operation inside the terminus systems is surprisingly vague." That was done on purpose. The council wouldn't believe a word about what happened on the other side of the Omega 4 relay.

"If you've read the file then you already know it." Ashley simply answered. "What are you really after?"

"The truth is all Williams. I find it strange that soon after you arrive at Arcturus station, Shepard arrives with the spectre agent that was hunting him and a batarian attack soon after. Something is missing in this picture."

"Why are you really here?" Ashley questioned.

Velentrian's eye's narrowed in on her. "I told you once human." He growled, Ashley instinctively reached for her pistol. "Relax Williams." His demeanor eased and his tone was less threatening.

"The truth is all I seek."

* * *

**Sur'kesh,**

**STG facility:**

Shepard and his team ran through the facilities court yard, engaging Cerberus agents on the way. Shepard and Jack took cover behind a pillar, Kasumi went into tactical cloak and was well on her way to being behind the team of five Cerberus agents. A burst from Shepard's rifle tore into the armor of a Cerberus trooper, Jack's out stretched arm released a wave of biotic energy that launched the agents into the air, Kasumi came out of cloak, opening fire on the floating troopers.

"Good shooting." Shepard said, popping the heat sink. "Now we just need to find that krogan."

"So that's why the council sent you." Shepard looked up at the balcony above him. A line of salarian STG operatives had guns drawn on him, he looked around and several more salarians came out of tactical cloak. They were surrounded.

"Tell me, what else are you hear for?"

"I'd like to know who I'm talking to first." A salarian in front of him took off his helmet. "I'm captain Kirrahe, we met on..."

"I remember you." Shepard interrupted. "Now do you want to tell your men to stand down?"

The captain signaled them to lower their weapons. "The way we understand it you're in charge of Cerberus relations to the council. We're just being cautious as Cerberus has decided to attack us at our home world."

"I've got no idea as to why Cerberus did this, but when I find out heads are going to roll. But right now my mission involves getting some krogan to Tuchanka and in the Urdnot camp!" Shepard's voice didn't hide his annoyance of the salarian's distrust. "Are we going to have a problem?"

The STG captain paced in front of the commander. "No we shouldn't. I don't presume the council told you why this krogan is so important."

Shepard crossed his arms, glaring at the captain. "No they didn't mention it."

"She's a bargaining chip with the Urdnot. And the only survivor in a series of experiments done to her at this facility. We've cured her of the genophage and an alliance with the krogan will aid us in the coming reaper invasion."

"Sir." One of the salarians walked over to the captain, he flared his omni tool, showing the layout of the inside of the facility. "Cerberus troops have pinned the second fire team down in the cargo bay."

"Sounds like you need some help captain." Shepard started for the captain, the salarians surrounding him raised their rifles. "My team can get down to her faster and you can make sure no other Cerberus forces get any farther into the facility."

Kirrahe paced in front of Shepard, deep in thought. "While you sit there and think about it, just remember that your boys are being torn up by Cerberus."

The captain stopped. "Very well Shepard we'll go with your plan."

* * *

**Caleston,**

**Operation second coming:**

"Doctor Sanders whats going on over there? The prothean V.I over here shut down after we received an emergency transmission from the Alliance garrison in orbit." Parrasini shouted into the monitor at the doctor. She could see alliance security forces in the back ground scrambling behind her. The doctor seemed calm and almost confused by the panic in Gianna's voice.

"We were fools to think we could ever stop the arrival Gianna. The Reapers are here and they cannot be stopped."

"What did you do?" Gianna demanded an answer. Sanders was in charge of the reaper artifact at the new project base o the other side of the planet and was in direct contact with it most often. "You're indoctrinated... aren't you?"

"No Gianna. Just enlightened." She cut communications.

* * *

**Sur'kesh,**

**STG facility: **

Shepard's team made it to the salarian fire team, The landing platform was swarming with Cerberus troops. They took cover next to the containment cell that held the krogan. The salarians were taking a beating and half of them were dead before Shepard got there, but the krogan as far as Shepard could tell was safe inside her containment cell. "Why are you doing this human? You don't even know me." Shepard heard the krogan say as he returned fire.

"No, but I'd like to." Shepard threw a biotic shock wave at a group of Cerberus troops, knocking them out of cover. "And I need to get you to the Urdnot camp."

She scoffed. "Wrex can't keep his hands off a fertile female."

"_Shepard, scans indicate a large energy signature is headed in your direction." _E.D.I warned.

The roaring of engines could be heard over the tree line. "Don't look now Shep, but we've got a flying robot headed our way!" Kasumi shouted, pointing skyward. Before Shepard could react the mech landed on the platform. The few salarians left fired on the mech, its turrets spooled and the salarians were fired upon.

Shepard armed himself with his M-100 grenade launcher, he fired at the mech with almost no effect, it's shields soaking up the blasts. It turned around and opening fire on Shepard. He ran for cover, the mech fired a rocket exploding behind him. The shock wave sent him flying into a wall. He staggered to his feet, the mech closing in on him. Shepard froze, he couldn't bring himself to run. _`Is this it?`_

* * *

**New project base, **

**control room:**

"Get down!" Ashley yelled, pushing Anderson aside, blocking him from geth rocket fire. Husks and geth were all over the base. It was only an hour ago when the husks on the base started attacking everyone on base, then geth started dropping from the sky.

"It would seem Shepard's geth have turned on him." Velentrian sneered. "I knew he couldn't be trusted!" He yelled, shooting at a charging husk.

"I don't know!" Ashley said, yelling over her gun fire. "Shepard said they were on our side."

"Either he lied or things aren't as he thought."

"Regardless we need to get out of here!" Anderson replied. He was at the bases controls, trying to set up a distress signal. "This is Captain David Anderson of the New project base. Base security has been compromised, we are requesting immediate extraction!" Ashley looked back toward Anderson. She looked out the window past him, an incoming geth drop ship headed towards them. She ran towards Anderson, an explosion sent her sailing back into a wall knocking her out momentarily.

"Get up Williams!" A rough voice growled. "We can't stay here." She looked up, Velentrian, the turian spectre held out his hand. She took it, struggling to get up. She looked in the direction of where Anderson was. He was on the floor, his body scorched and unmoving.

"Captain!" She rushed toward him. Velentrian stepped in front of her, catching her in his arms.

"He's gone Williams." He said in a remorseful tone that actually sounded genuine. "We cannot honor him by dying. We have to escape this place, we have to warn the rest of the council."


	15. The Team II

**Chapter 14: The Team part. II**

**Miranda's quarters:**

"So when were you going to tell Shepard about the Cerberus troops on Sur'Kesh?" Garrus questioned. He'd come to her office to question her about her involvement on Suur'kesh. Shepard had yet to

"Would it have mattered? " She said, never looking away from her monitor. "The teams I sent there obviously saw the Krogan moving off world as a threat and acted accordingly."

"People died down there! What is Shepard going to tell the council when they receive the report?"

Miranda was frustrated, for about a year she'd dealt with the council at arms length at the request of Shepard. Giving them technology from the collector base at the cost of the organizations advancement. "Do you think this is a game Vakarian?" She circled around her desk, toward him. Her tone was angry, her gaze was cold and unfeeling. "An alliance between the krogan and the council will only serve to strengthen it's hold over galactic affairs. And when the reapers do arrive enforce they'll leave humanity out to fend for it's self."

She stared Garrus down. "Humanity can't always depend on the council. Look at how quick they were to brand Shepard a traitor and send a spectre to hunt you and the crew down less than a year ago!" She jabbed her finger in his chest. "We can't always rely on the council and when the Reapers get here it'll be every man for its self!"

"When the Reapers do get here we wont survive by mistrusting our allies!" Garrus shot back. "We're all in this together Lawson, humanity isn't fighting these things alone and the sooner you realize that the better we'll be."

"We'll definitely see, wont we?" She went back behind her desk and proceeded to typing on her monitor. "If there is nothing else I'd like to..."

_Shepard has requested that all squad mates report to the briefing room. _E.D.I interrupted.

* * *

**The cockpit:**

"So we finally get some page time?"

"_Who are you talking to Jeff?" _E.D.I asked, puzzled by the pilots rambling.

"Oh, never mind."

Joker looked over to the blue hologram. "E.D.I with all the things we've been through do you ever worry about ending up like the old Normandy?"

"_I have thought about it on occasion and while staying functional is preferable to destruction, `death` is a reality of our service."_

"Figured you'd say something like that."

"_Why do you bring it up, Jeff?"_

Joker turned back to the controls. "No reason... I just..." The screen flickered in the bottom right corner. Someone was paging them.

* * *

**Briefing room,**

**15 minutes ago: **

Shepard was preparing for the coming verbal flogging he was no doubt going to get from the council. He didn't account for Cerberus troops to be there and the STG had no doubt alerted the council before he could step foot on the ship. He couldn't explain why he froze up down there and if it wasn't for Jack crushing that mech, he would have been done for.

"_Shepard you are getting a transmission from Alliance command, labeled urgent." _E.D.I announced, her blue avatar popping up in front of him.

"Put them through." He ordered, hopping to prolong a meeting with the council.

_Admiral Hackett here and Shepard we need your help._

"I'm listening."

_A research base of ours on Caleston has recently gone dark and the garrison in orbit wont respond to our calls._

"Were we studying there, Admiral?"

The admiral took a deep breath, his face dropping. _We were studying a reaper artifact, along with a group from Noveria that was examining some prothean ruins on the other side of the planet._

"Another Reaper artifact?" Shepard said dryly. "The last time we got lucky enough for the council could keep it quiet and to pin it on the fact several Reapers are already in the galaxy and blamed it on them."

_I know Shepard. And I wouldn't ask you to do this if it wasn't important. We got this distress signal almost a day ago._

_**This is Captain David Anderson of New Project base! Base security has been compromised, we are requesting immediate extraction! **_

_That's all we got before the transmission cut._

"I'm on my way admiral."


	16. Harbinger

**Chapter 16: Harbinger**

**Briefing room:**

Shepard, and crew watched the hologram of Caleston rotate in the center of the room. On one side of the planet a reaper artifact at the new project base and on the other is a Prothean site, run by corporations from Noveria and has recently become unresponsive. "Tell me what we've got, E.D.I." Shepard ordered.

_Scans indicate a large geth presence at the reaper artifact. An active distress signal is being transmitted from there. _

"What about the prothean site?" Miranda asked, rotating the the hologram. The site of the prothean ruin flashing on the image.

_Something is blocking my signal to the base. _

"We'll have to send a team to each base individually then." Garrus added.

"Not necessarily." Shepard quickly replied. "A large team might bring too much attention. I'll go to the reaper artifact alone."

Jack scoffed. "They say, I'm nuts. Shepard that's crazy."

"I'll have to agree." Miranda added. "You don't know what's down there."

"Miranda you're leading a team, to investigate the prothean site." Shepard ordered, ignoring her warning. "If there's nothing left to discuss, then crew dismissed."

* * *

**En route to prothean site:**

Miranda's team consisted of Garrus and Jack. The flew in with the hammerhead, Garrus is at the controls; Jack sat in the back next to Miranda, shooting her the occasional glare. The trip to the site so far was a quiet one. They didn't trust her, but that didn't matter to her. Stopping the Reapers is all that mattered to her.

"Garrus, how far out are we?"

"Hard to tell. Something is is interfering with the hammerhead's navigation systems." Garrus answered.

"Isn't that great." Jack said with mock cheer. "We have no idea where we're going and we're stuck with the cheer leader."

"Do you have something to say, Jack?" Miranda snapped.

"Other than me feeling a certain way about almost dying on Sur'Kesh, because of a Cerberus operation you ordered. Not at all."

"Well you're alive, so you've got nothing to complain about. And if I'm not mistaken that wont be for too much longer."

Jack's biotics flared, lighting up the inside of the tank. "What did you say?" The biotic growled.

"I've seen the med reports, Chakwas sent them to me. Your condition is accelerating and she thought I could help."

The hammer head stopped, Garrus turned around and faced the two women. "We're here."

* * *

**New Project base:**

Shepard took the shuttle. To his surprise if there was an attack he had just missed. The landing pad was littered with destroyed ships, bodies of those who tried to escape grew more frequent as he continued on. The scene reminded him of the derelict reaper, the Illusive man sent him on. The wounds on the bodies showed signs of geth weaponry, but if they were here there was no sign of them now. "Damn synthetics!" It was because of Shepard, the geth were wondering the galaxy, working for the reapers. Reprogramming them was a trap and as far as Shepard was concerned, he was responsible for every death here.

There was one entrance to the bases interior. It led to a long hallway, windows stretching along the walls. "What the hell went on here?" Shepard, said to himself. Looking out the windows he saw what looked like research stations and holding cells.

He stepped into the elevator. He reached for the control panel, his hand began to tremble as he pressed the button taking him to the lower level. There was something about this place, he compelled to go to the lower level. It was like an insistent whisper in the back of his mind. The elevator door slammed shut, descending through the lower levels of this base.

"Joker get me a scan of the inside of this place." He ordered over the comm. He got nothing but silence. "Joker? E.D.I ?" Still nothing. He wasn't getting a signal, he was alone.

The elevator stopped, he readied his battle rifle. The doors squealed open, revealing a large group of husks on the other side of the chamber seemingly waiting for him. He fired a burst at the group, they charged at once. They fell one at a time, but they kept coming. Shepard's body rattled with each burst, the charging husks closing in and ready to swarm the elevator. Shepard charged his biotics, throwing a shock wave that dispersed the group. Shepard popped a heat sink and bolted across the chamber, more husks in pursuit.

* * *

**The Normandy**

**cockpit:**

"_Joker I'm getting an emergency transmission from a frigate, with an unknown registry. But is using a comm channel reserved for council spectres."_

"All right we'll put'em through." Joker said, pressing a button to open the channel. "This is SSV Normandy, to unknown frigate." Joker spoke into the comm.

"We've received you're transmission. State your business."

"_Joker? Thank god it's you!" _

Joker immediately recognized the voice. "Lieutenant Williams? What are you doing out here?"

"_That's a long story. We need to get out of this system, right now!" _Panic was in her voice, Joker had never heard her this way. Something must have happened down there on Caleston to make make Williams this frightened.

"I'm docking with your ship right now." Joker responded. "What happened?"

* * *

**Prothean bunker: **

"Does anyone else think it was a good idea to go into the creepy underground bunker?" Jack asked. Garrus drove the hammerhead into a bunker that opened up on arrival. Without getting any signal from, the Normandy they were going in blind. Something was strange about this place. The group had seen no sign of geth.

"I don't know, I just have a feeling about this place." Garrus said, maneuvering through the debris in the tunnel. The bunker was similar to the one on Illos, but instead of being overgrown with plant life it was littered with debris and additions made by an excavation team that now seem to be absent.

"What is that?" Miranda questioned pointing in front of them.

Garrus stopped the tank. A force field had erected in front of them. "I think we get out now." Garrus opened the hatch and the team made their way out. "I remember, Shepard mentioning something like this happening on Illos."

"Did he say what happened next, by any chance?" Miranda asked, feeling this was a waste of time.

Garrus pointed towards an open door and proceeded to go to it. "Fine, take point." Miranda ordered. They followed the turian in, the elevator door slamming shut behind them. The elevator door crawled down the shaft, creaking as the descent continued.

"So what do you think we'll find down here?" Jack asked curiously as her grip on her pistol tightened.

"Probably nothing." Garrus answered.

Miranda scoffed. "Probably a trap." The elevator stopped, the doors sliding open. On the far end of the room a woman was talking with a damaged hologram. The conversation wasn't clear from where they were, but it had an intense look to it.

_Ms. Parasini, our guests have arrived._

The group walked up slowly. "I'm, Miranda Lawson and this is my team. We were asked to come here to investigate this site and another on the other side of the planet."

"Gianna Parasini. I'm in charge of the research team sent here by Noveria." Gianna walked to the group. "We've been waiting for someone to show up since, vigil came online."

"Vigil?"

"The prothean V.I. When the geth attacked the project base it activated and generated some kind of jamming device."

"I guess that's why it was so difficult to find this place." Garrus said aloud.

"Where is the rest of your team?" Jack questioned.

"Deeper in the bunker. But that is hardly any guarantee that it's safe."

_Soon nowhere will be safe. The Reapers are on their way to the Citadel as we speak._

"I thought the data file you gave, Shepard last time was supposed to make sure they couldn't use the Citadel?" Garrus said to the V.I. "What changed?"

_We did not anticipate that a large number of mass relays in a single system could be used to open a passage into the galaxy. Like the relays used in the Arcturus system._

"How do you even know about that?" Miranda questioned, skeptical of the V.I. "And I thought you shut yourself down after you spoke with, Shepard on Illos. How are you on Caleston as well?"

_The base on Illos and this one shared a similar purpose. The platform on Illos laid in wait to be found, while I lay dormant. When we were activated, we received signals from your communication hubs. We learned of the relay nexus, and for the last year the Reapers that have entered the galaxy have been destroying colonies on the edges of known space._

"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?"

_It is a distraction, while they plot to take back the Citadel. Only a small number of Reapers entered, not nearly enough to destroy organic life. We've come to realize that, we only slowed them down. They will attack the citadel; they will bring the entire force of the Reaper fleet into the galaxy._

* * *

**New project base:**

"Argh!" Shepard grunted, as a husk's wild swing went through his rifle and connected with his head. Shepard fell to the floor as the husks continued to give chase. He armed his shot gun and fired at the husks, ripping them in half with each shot.

He scrambled to his feet and ran into a nearby room. The door slammed shut, husks pounding on the door from the other side. "Almost bought the farm with that one." He exhaled as he wiped blood from a cut that had formed below his eye.

**We've been waiting for you, Shepard. **A loud menacing voice spoke to Shepard. He felt it when he entered the base, it started as a dull whisper, now he could hear it plan as day.

"Figured I'd find you here." Shepard turned around, a large object stood in the middle of the room. It was a reaper artifact, it's energy pulsating. It seemed to beckon, Shepard to it. Unable to resist, he went to it.

**You escaped us before, but this time you will not interfere. We will not be stopped.**

"I scare you that much, Harbinger?"

**Your confidence is born of ignorance. I will show you true fear.**

"Don't count on it! I will stop you!"

Shepard whipped around as the door behind him opened. "That is a tall order is it not, Shepard?" Two shots rang out, hitting Shepard in the stomach. A turian walked in, holding a pistol to Shepard.

"What are you doing?" Shepard gasped as he fell back, leaning on the object. He recognized the turian. He was the spectre from the meeting with the council. Velentrian Tenais.

He fired again, hitting Shepard in the shoulder. "Saving the galaxy... from you. Harbinger told me of the human plot to manipulate his technology. The Reapers are coming to usher a new age of prosperity. I will not allow you or Cerberus to deny us this!"

Shepard sunk to the floor, losing his footing. "You've got no idea what you're doing. Harbinger is manipulating you and you don't even know it!"

"Now you sound like, Lieutenant Williams. She said the same thing, she will meet her fate another day."

Velentrian walked closer to Shepard, holding his pistol to the first human spectre's head. "You meet yours today. "

**AN/ Good place to end I'd say, cliff hanger and alll. Sorry for not being to good about updating, I've been busy with my original stuff. (ask about it and maybe I tell you) That and school starts next week. So we're finally etching toward the end of this story, does Shep live? Does he die at the hands of my OC? Since when does a Shep ever die at the hands of an OC? In this story... it could happen and he won't be back. That would make for a nice turn I'd say. We'll see in later chapters. **


	17. In death sacrifice

**Chapter 17: In death... sacrifice**

Shepard stared down the barrel of Velentrian's pistol, unafraid and ready to die. "Well are you just going to stand there?"

"Quiet!" Velentrian froze into place unmoving. "Do we really need to kill Shepard?" He questioned, looking at the Reaper object. "We should let the council deal with this traitor and his human conspirators."

**This is the only way. Eliminate, Shepard!**

"You hear him don't you? For such a great ally, he likes to give orders doesn't he?"

**Silence him!**

Shepard scoffed. "You've gotta wonder why it wants me dead so much."

The turian spectre was puzzled by the statement. _Why does, Harbinger want the death of one human so badly? _He thought. "What are you saying?"

"What do I know that, Harbinger doesn't want the council to know?" Shepard says, playing on Velentrian's distrust of him.

**Enough! **The doors to the chamber screeched open, husks slowly making their entrance. Taking the opportunity, Shepard rose to his feet. He ran for the door, knocking Velentrian to the floor. A husks took charge after him, leaving the remaining husks to encircle Velentrian.

"What is this?" Velentrian cried out.

* * *

**Current host is insufficient. Further augmentation is needed.**

**The Hammerhead:**

Miranda and her team evacuated, Gianna Parasini joining them. They all crammed inside the tank, Gianna uncomfortably sitting on Jack's lap, made rougher by Garrus's driving. "There any way you can not hit every bump?" Jack yelled.

Garrus ignored her. "Normandy this is hammerhead, please respond." Garrus called over the communicator.

"_This is Joker and we're en-route! We need to get off this planet now!"_

"I just hope that data file, vigil gave us works." Miranda grunted.

"The data file serves a similar purpose as the one Shepard used the first time." Gianna rebutted. "If the Reapers shut the relay network down, we'll got out like the protheans."

The Normandy descended from the dark clouds of Caleston. The hanger doors opened, Garrus shot the tank into it, the thrust and the sudden landing shaking the team. The hammerhead wailed as is slid on the floor of the hanger. Miranda and the rest of the team filed sluggishly out of the tank.

"Never doing that again!" Jack groaned. "Your heavier than you look."

"Come on we don't have time." Miranda ordered, heading towards the elevator.

* * *

**New Project base:**

Shepard had escaped the reaper artifact chamber and made it to the control center or what was left of it. There had been some fighting here, the walls scorched with weapons fire. Windows blown out and machinery damaged. Luckily he found a radio that still worked, he called for the Normandy. Hoping, Joker was listening. "Commander Shepard to the Normandy. Joker?" He got no answer.

He wondered the wreckage of the room, searching for something he could use to signal his ship. As he searched he stumbled across a body, one he recognized. It belonged to a man who sacrificed everything to make him the first human spectre, who helped him when no one believed him about the reaper threat. David Anderson. His eyes were still open, absent of life. Shepard put his head to his chest, praying for a heartbeat. He heard none. He pounded at his former captains' chest, desperately trying to restart his heart. He stopped after a while, he was too late. He closed the eyes of his former captain. Eyes that brought him hope now shut forever.

_Skipper? _The radio cracked.

Shepard radio thinking he miss heard. Thinking he heard the voice of the woman he loves. "_Skipper it's Ash, I'm on the Normandy!" _Shepard's heart sank; he hoped he was just imagining Ashley's voice. He hoped he wouldn't have to speak to her, not like this. _At least she's safe. _He thought.

"This is, Shepard." He answered, his tone sounding defeated and wiry.

"_Thank god! We just picked up your team and we're on our way to get you."_

He knew she'd say that. He knew there was no time. They had to get to the Citadel; they had to warn the rest of the galaxy. There was no stopping the reapers. In the end all he managed to do was slow them down. He couldn't stop the reapers about as much as he could save his team on the collector base. His part was over. At least he gave the galaxy a head start before the reapers descended on the galaxy.

"No you're not."

"_What are you talking about? We can get you out of there!"_

"Ash the reapers are out there, they are coming!" Shepard looked up at a hole in the ceiling. The sky above him got darker and the wind rolled into the remains of the complex. In the distance he could see the beams of light shooting out of the clouds like fire. Mountains of metal falling through the atmosphere, roaring and decimating the landscape as they landed. "Now it is up to you and the others to stop them."

"_Don't talk like that, Skipper!" _Ashley shouted over the radio, her voice starting to break in and out. _"You can still..." _Shepard cut off the radio; he couldn't bare hearing her voice anymore.

He leaned against a wall, collapsing to the floor. "Goodbye, Ash." In the end he was just as powerless as Harbinger and Sovereign claimed. There is no stopping the arrival. A lesson he should have learned at Arcturus. He couldn't hope to stop the reapers, for all he knew they couldn't be. But he gave the galaxy a head start and a way to fight them. The technology from the collector base would make sure of that.

The compound quaked with the landing of each dreadnought. Their intent clear. Before Saren died he told, Shepard that they couldn't stop them... not forever. _"What can you expect, from a human?" _Shepard remembers him saying. Shepard laughed weakly to himself.

"Not too bad, I'd say." A shadow darkened the room, the approach was one he excepted. He closed his eyes, thinking of better things. His fight was over, he had none left. _Not bad at all._


	18. What happens next?

**Chapter 18: What happens next?**

"The project base was over run, Councilor Udina. Anderson was killed in the first wave of the assault." After her rescue from Caleston, Ashley Williams contacted the Council. Udina was the only one to pick up as the other three are dealing with the growing panic in the galactic community. "Commander Shepard... was killed in action."

Udina, didn't speak, but seemed stunned by the news. "The threat of the Reapers invading the Citadel has grown. For all we know they could be on their way right now." Ashley sighed, feeling this conversation would go nowhere. Udina never really took any heed to a suggestion that hurt his bottom line. "I'd advise a full-scale evacuation of the Citadel."

"I'm already dealing with a panic! These machine's have swept into the batarian's systems and their refuge's are coming out telling stories of "dreadnoughts" devastating their worlds!" Udina barked.

"All the more reason to get people out of there!" Ashley's words seemed to come out on their own, taking all her frustration out on Udina she didn't attempt to hold her tongue. "We're looking at days if not shorter than that before the, Reapers get to the Citadel and open it wide open for the rest of their fleet!"

"That will be all, Williams. Bring the Normandy to port." And with that the hologram of, Udina faded.

Ashley stepped out of the briefing room, the crew staring at her and then breaking eye contact when she looked in their direction. The crew took, Shepard's death hard. Half of them belonged to the Cerberus crew that was saved by Shepard during the expedition beyond the Omega four relay. Beside her initial outburst at leaving Shepard on Caleston, Ashley didn't really grieve for Shepard as she had before. She felt numb to it.

She walked to the cockpit, Joker was there and seemed to have his head more on the stars than on the controls. "Joker?"

"Oh, Yeah?" She caught off guard "What can I do for you Chief, or is it Lieutenant now? I don't really remember, you seem to get a promotion every couple months."

"Being a spectre does that." Ashley said.

"So how are you holding up." Joker asked.

"Holding up?" Ashley repeated. "Funny, that seems to be exactly what I'm doing."

"I can't believe we lost him again. Anderson to." Joker leaned forward and just stared at the floor. "What is the point? These things can't be stopped."

"Hey!" Joker's head snapped right up to Ashley. "They hurt us today we aren't beaten... not yet. Shepard gave us a chance to stop them, his mission is mine now and we will stop these things."

Ashley was alerted by her voice being played over the ship's speakers. She glared at Joker, to which he only replied with a shrug. She continued. "We stopped them at the Citadel the first time and again at Arcturus! They can be stopped and we've proven it! We've all lost people on they way, and we'll lose more before this war is finished."

"And we will make them pay for every single one!" Ashley could her the crew cheer back in the CIC, she hoped that was enough.

**The Captain's quarters:**

Ashley wondered around Shepard's room. She was amused by the model ships, and the fish tank. The prothean orb on the coffee table seemed out of place and the helmet in the corner made her nervous. Like some one was watching her. The room was neat and almost seemed like it hadn't been lived in. She paused when she got to a dresser on the side of, Shepard's bed. They held his dog tags, the same ones she gave to Admiral Hackett, a year after Shepard's death.

With out thinking she took them out of their box. She grasped them tightly in her hand, holding them to her heart. Taking the time to remember her fallen commander. "Williams?"

She recognized the voice as belonging to Miranda Lawson. She was standing behind, Ashley, leaning on a closet. "Oh, Miranda." Ashley turned around, surprised to see her. "I didn't hear you come in."

"You've got a lot on your mind." Miranda stood up straight and took a step closer to Ashley. "We'll be at the, Citadel in a few hours."

"Alright. Anything else?" Ashley exhaled.

Miranda shook her head, no. "I heard your speech. The crew needed to hear it."

"I'm sure the Cerberus crew will head out once we land." Ashley whispered, not intending Miranda to hear it. Which she did.

"They respect you, Williams. I do to." Miranda placed a hand on, Ashley's shoulder, her eyes seeming sure of herself. "This is your crew now. I know you miss Shepard... I..." She paused as if to catch her self from saying something, and then continued. "We all do. But right now we need you."

Ashley sat on the bed and stared at Shepard's dog tags that were cradled in her hands. "I'm not, Shepard. What if I can't do this?"

Miranda sat next to, Ashley and took a deep breath. "Well that is too bad, isn't it? Right now the galaxy depends on us. So you don't get to doubt."

"Wear the burden the best you can... we've got a galaxy to save."

**Elsewhere:**

Velentrian Tenais, turian spectre and now a prisoner. The reapers promised to expose Shepard's treachery. He saw too late what they really were. Now they experiment on him and whisper, their words seeming correct and inescapable. He could not struggle, only obey. Their thoughts are his, their goals are his. They have enlightened him. In a short time they have brought him over to their side, erasing all uncertainty from his mind.

**"You've nearly cost us turian. But this was expected, you're organic mind is full of these questions. We have relieved you of them."**

"What is it you will have me do, Harbinger?"

**"In the Citadel tower there is a control panel. Activate it and we shall spread across the galaxy. The chaos of organic life will cease."**


	19. The hands we're given

**Chapter 19: The hands we're given**

**The Presidium,**

**Executor Chellick's office:**

Chellick was made Executor of C-sec after the death of, Executor Palin during the battle of the Citadel. During his time he's been rocky at best, the reforms he's proposed have made him unpopular with senior C-sec officers, who see him as more of a politician than an Executor. His coming down on supposed _"renegade" _officers is often seen as an interference to to the duties of other C-sec officers.

Chellick sat at his desk reading reports and reviewing complaints sent by the diplomats on the presidium. "Garrus, come on in." He says, as the turian walked in.

"I got your message, Chellick." Garrus said, standing in front of the desk.

"Oh, good. So that means I'll have some time before you go flying off to save the galaxy with, Shepard." Chellick said, his tone indicating a sense of bitterness.

"Chellick I don't have time for this."

"None of us do, it seems." Chellick got up from his desk and walked to the balcony, over looking the Presidium. "Tell me, Garrus. Is this going to be like last time? Should I expect the crew of the Normandy to save us all again."

Garrus looked at Chellick. He was tense, he looked worn out and one could even argue scared. Garrus answered as best he could. "I don't know, Chellick. I'm not certain of anything any more."

"Damn." Chellick sighed.

"How are things going here Chellick?" Garrus asked.

"Like the last time, only now we know it's coming. " He answered.

"I've got a station in full panic, C-sec is over whelmed. We've started evacuating, diplomats, ambassadors, putting as many civilians we can into emergency shuttles."

"That's not enough." Garrus interjected.

"It isn't. I could manage the situation if I had more men... I'm stretched out as far as I can go."

"It sounds rough, but what does this have to do with me?"

Chellick turned to Garrus. "I made a mistake when I let you go, Garrus."

"When you fired me?" Garrus corrected.

"We don't agree on how things should be done, Garrus. I've always thought you were too brash, stubborn and even dangerous." The Executor looked at Garrus with tired eyes and spoke humbly. "But you were a good detective once. And I could use you now."

"I'm not coming back to C-sec." Garrus said, sharply.

"I wouldn't ask you to do that. This is a different project."

Garrus looked at Chellick suspiciously. "Garrus when you left you made a point. I wouldn't listen."

"You told me it wouldn't matter how hard I crack down, what rules I make the criminal element wouldn't be deterred. That they'd only find a way around my rules and make their own."

"And?"

Chellick exhaled. "And you were right. The situation with Harkin and other events have shown me how right."

Garrus couldn't help but get some satisfaction out of Chellick's admission, but now was not the time for gloating. "What are you saying?"

"The criminals in this galaxy aren't going to wait for us to make the first move. Assuming there is a galaxy left after this mess we'll need to lay down a stronger hand."

"To hit them before they hit us." Garrus added. Garrus was surprised to see this kind of talk from Chellick. He was known as a hard advocate duty above all else. But this was something different. Not like the new Executor that he knew when he left C-sec.

"I'm building a team. A strike force if you want to call it that."

"And you want me to be apart of it?"

"I don't want you to be apart of it. I want Archangel to lead it." Chellick said, his mandibles flared out to show a bit of a wry smile. "The same, Archangel who led a band of soldiers on Omega to fight their criminals."

"How did you know find out?" Garrus questioned.

"I heard about some vigilante on, Omega. Taking the fight to the gangs, I knew some C-sec who left to join up. Even stayed in contact with a few. They told me a turian was Archangel and he was former C-sec."

Chellick circled around his desk, to face Garrus. "And I knew it had to be you, Garrus."

"Look, you don't have to decide anything now. Not the way things are." Chellick's voice was full of conviction. This surprised, Garrus. He never would have thought, Chellick had this in him. "But when it's all over I'm going to need you, Garrus."

* * *

**Normandy,**

**Med bay:**

"Let me guess nothing you can do right?" Jack says , laying on the operating table.

"You're burning through your implants too quickly. Neural decay shouldn't work like this, your getting too powerful." Miranda said in a mix of astonishment and genuine worry. "Soon your biotics will become harder to control. But before that can happen your brain will hemorrhage."

"I can't help you." Miranda said sympathetically.

"Bullshit!" Jack yelled. She got off the table and flung her arm backward, shattering the glass behind her. "You did this to me! Cerberus did this to me! Damn it you can fix me!"

"The Normandy doesn't have the equipment for the procedure you need. And then we're talking extending your life expectancy by a few months."

"Damn it cheer leader you have no idea what its like!" Jacked shouted. "The last year one doc after another has been saying the same thing! An' I aint gonna sit here and wait to die. That's why I came back to the, Normandy."

Jack let out a feral scream, her biotics flared up shaking the room. She crouched down in a corner away from, Miranda. "I can't stand it! Waiting for something to kill me and I can't kill'em first. Bullshit!"

For as long as Miranda remembered she's been told she could do what ever she put her mind to. But this wasn't as simple. Miranda and Jack aren't friends, but her predicament did puzzle her. During her time as the leader of Cerberus, nothing she found in the files of the Illusive man every suggested, Jack's condition was even a possibility. Another thing he must have kept from her.

She looked down at Jack, who's head was buried in her arms. She was trembling and while faint could hear a sob. "Jack?"

Jack snorted and slowly lifted her head. "What?"

"I do know one procedure. It could save your life." Miranda crouched down to meet the biotic at eye level. "It does have a cost."

"All ears cheer leader." Jack grunted.

"It could kill you, Jack." Miranda said quietly.

Jack grabbed Miranda by the shoulders, the desperate look in Jack's eyes startling her for a moment. "Tell me!"

Miranda gave her a hard look and looked away, then looked back. "You'll never be a biotic again."

* * *

**Wards District,**

**Flux:**

Normally Flux bar in the Wards would be open to the public. The bar and the dance floor below and gambling up above the patrons. Now it was empty, the manager and his staff abandoning it. The house lights were left on and some one left music playing. Ashley left the, Normandy to come here. She'd gotten a call to meet here. Council business the message said. Only one other person was here.

"Hello, Williams." Said an asari sitting at one of the tables nearest the window. "I'd offer you a drink, but..."

"Where is the council, Raina?" Ashley sat down. "You said they'd be here."

"Gone. They fled to Palaven. I stayed to brief you on the plan."

"Which is?" Ashley asked, growing more impatient.

"They're leaving a fleet here at the, Citadel." Raina said squarely. "Everyone else is regrouping... somewhere. This fleet is all the station gets. No one is coming in or going out. All spectre's are too... "

"So they just left?" Ashley was dumbstruck. The Citadel has been abandoned and millions of civilians were waiting for evacuation that would never come.

"They voted to leave the station, soon after you sent in your report." Raina yawned, glancing toward the window. Looking out to where the ward arm stretched out into the nebula. "That, Udina has being a weasel down to a science."

"Bastard." Ashley grunted. "What do we do now?"

"If you've got friends on the station, get'em off. Your a spectre so if you decided to pack that ship of yours full of civilians, not a single person would question it." Raina was bored and didn't seem at all interested in what was going on. This infuriated, Ashley.

"How the hell can you be so damn calm?" Ashley snapped. "The council just high tailed it out of here and none of these people have any idea what's coming!"

"Because I'm an agent of the special tactics and reconnaissance branch of the Citadel." The asari said sharply to Ashley. "You are as well. We are the first and last line of defense. It's our job to protect the galaxy when everything else goes to shit."

"Yes, but..."

Raina interrupted. "Do you have kids, Williams?"

"No I don't."

"I have a daughter on, Thessia waiting for me to come home. That is not important. Those civilian's are not important." Raina said, speaking more aggressively. "The mission is always first! That's what, Shepard..."

"Don't!" Ashley cut her off.

"He would understand." Raina said quietly.

"Don't you tell me what he..." Ashley was cut off by an explosion outside, the sound of people screaming and the sounds of twisting metal. "would..."

Before Ashley could react, Raina dove over the table. Koncking her on the floor. There was a bright flash of light and a crash. For a moment, Ashley couldn't hear or see anything. When she came to she wished it stayed that way. "Oh my god!"

Geth craft flew in the distance. Above them, a fleet of Reaper ships were doing battled with the Citadel fleet. A reaper had fell from the sky, and promptly began laying waste to the Ward arm. "On your feet super soldier." Raina said, helping a petrified Ashley up.

Geth and Reaper ships leveled buildings, the Reaper that landed took down several with just it's landing. The scene reminded her of Eden Prime. The swift brutality of the geth attack, that acute fear she felt when Sovereign landed. It all surged back to her.

"The second battle for the Citadel has just begun."

**AN/ So who's still reading this? Haven't updated in a while I know. Up next we've got the battle for the Citadel and not all the Normandy crew will live through it. **

**Oh and to answer a reviewer :**

**_D_eath closes all: but something ere the end  
Some work of noble note, may yet be done,  
Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.**

**Please review.**


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